LONDON — When all Serena Williams had to do was stand and watch poker-faced while Maria Sharapova banged down two double faults in a row to surrender the first game of their Wimbledon semi-final a sense of inevitability descended over Centre Court.
They may have contested 17 more games, while Sharapova burst some eardrums with her shrieks, but the result was never in doubt as Williams brokered a 17th consecutive win over the clueless Russian to set up a final with fresh-faced Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.
So commanding was Williams's performance that not a single strand of her cascading black hair, spilling out of a high ponytail, looked out of place as the top seed twirled around in triumph following the brisk 6-2 6-4 workout.