This is what we expected. If not quite the way it happened. Venus and Serena, the Sister Act, the Ladies of the Court, back to the Wimbledon finals.

Just barely for Serena. Just barely for American television. Just barely for U.S. tennis.

One of the Williams, Venus, who has taken the last two women's singles and five overall, and Serena, with two championships and a loss to her older sibling in last year's final, again will be the winner.

As has one of them seven of the previous nine years at Wimbledon.

Except it looked as if Serena wasn't going to be there, not when Elena Dementieva was moving her around, was outplaying her, was one-point away from winning.

But Serena is a champion, and champions find a way. Serena on this 91-degree Thursday afternoon when England seemed more like Spain, found a way.

Serena Williams, off balance and off target, defeated Dementieva, 6-7, 7-5, 8-6. The match took 2 hours 49 minutes, longest women's semifinal in Wimbledon records.

Fans at Centre Court were finished. They fled the famed arena, if only temporarily, headed for shade, for water, for ice cream at the Haagen Dazs booth.

The Williamses were not finished. Venus came on and crushed Dinara Safina, the No.1 seed, No. 1 player in the women's rankings, 6-1, 6-0. That match took only 51 minutes total. The shortest of Serena's three sets was 50 minutes.

One match was in doubt. The other never was.

One match was exciting. "We gave the crowd a wonderful show,'' said Serena, knowing full well that wasn't her intention. One match was embarrassing. Safina won only one game.

Call Serena the drama queen, grimacing, wincing, agonizing. "It was really tough,'' said Serena. "I wasn't on my best game.''

Call Venus the smooth operator. At Wimbledon, she has won 20 straight matches, 34 straight sets. At Wimbledon, with its grass courts, with its 123 years of history, with its royal box, Venus keeps earning the trophy, which just happens to be called the Venus Rosewater Dish.

Two Russians against two Americans in the semis. Two Russians who have never won a Grand Slam tournament against two Americans who between them have won 17 Grand Slams. On Saturday that total will increase to 18.

Williams against Williams. On the Fourth of July. It seemed in evitable. Then for a while it seemed impossible.

Dementieva had a cross-court backhand volley for match point. The ball bounced off the net and soared out. Dimentieva later thought she should have gone down line. Serena only thought about how she would rally.

"I thought, ‘Ace,'" said Serena of how to hit her next shot. "My serve. If I can stay calm . . .''

She stayed calm. She stayed in the match, stayed in the tournament. Serena won the game. Suddenly it was 5-5. Suddenly everything was right.

"It was so hard watching the scores,'' said Venus, waiting in the locker room. "but the hardest part still is to come, to play Serena Williams.''

They have met 20 times in their careers, the 29-year-old Venus and the 27-year-old Serena, most recently in March in Miami, when Serena won in three sets. Serena also beat Venus in the quarter-finals of the U.S Open in September. Yet it was Venus over Serena in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

"I feel going into this final,'' said Serena, "I have nothing to lose. Obviously she's playing the best tennis at this tournament. Start with that and just keep positive.''

She didn't look very positive against Dementieva, who had beaten Serena four of their last five meetings. "My forehand didn't show up today,'' said Serena. "I think he went to Hawaii.'' Then she gender-bendered.

"Her I should say. I asked her to come back for the final.''

Venus has come back for an eighth final, a fourth against big sister.

"I wanted her to win,'' insisted Serena, even understanding Venus is probably the only person in the draw she couldn't beat. "We're excited to play doubles Friday.''

There were questions about the legitimacy of women's tennis, if the top-ranked player, Safina, can only win one game in a match. But Venus, defensive, as opposed to the offense she showed, said, "I don't deal with down. I respect Dinara. I respect women's tennis.''

As she respects Serena.

"It's easy to separate the sister and the player,'' said Venus, "when you hit a serve 127 mph and it comes back a winner. You realize she's an awesome player.

"I'm happy for her to be in the final, but I have to face her. I don't necessarily want her to lose, but I want to win. I'm still the big sister.''

And the Wimbledon defending champion.