Pierce v Williams - Live!

Williams leads 6-0, *1-0 First double fault from Williams, but no matter since Pierce's pass down the line strays out at the last minute. And after hooking a simple backhand long and wide, Pierce tries to gnaw her own thumb off - but not before giving her racket a good thumping, first.

"Why do people dislike Mary Pierce so much?" asks Petina Gappah. "She seems likeable enough." Sure she's a lovely girl, etc. etc., but I don't think all that preening helps [she struts around like a highly strung Olympic gymnast], or the fact that she's happier if she can take a quick nap between each point. And have you seen how she folds her towels after using them? She's got a travel iron in that kit bag, I'm telling you.

Williams 6-0* Pierce Just when you think Pierce is going to hold, she overhits a backhand and even from behind the baseline it drops well behind Williams. She pulls off a stunning drop shot to rescue the set point - so tight to the net even Venus won't chase it - but another double fault hands Williams the set. Hang on, wasn't this supposed to be a tight game?

Williams *5-0 Pierce Perfect backhand slice from Pierce, who clearly took umbrage at my previous comments. It's not enough in the face of some monster serving from Williams, though.

Williams 4-0* Pierce Sublime returning from Venus, stretching out and placing a forehand straight back down the line. Pierce has better luck at the net - where she failed to take control in previous attempts - but it's her groundstrokes that should worry her. Backhand, forehand, no matter, she can't keep them in - and we're talking feet, not inches. This is turning into a rout.

Williams *3-0 Pierce Wild forehand from Venus puts Pierce 0-30 up, but she comes back with a wonderfully timed one to leave Pierce standing. Her tactic appears to be to hit Pierce all over the court, and it's working - the Frenchwoman is shaking her head already and struggling to control her grounstrokes.

Williams 2-0* Pierce Pierce struggles to hold from the off despite some admirable grunting, then serves up a double fault to hand over the second game.

Williams *1-0 Pierce Both players are wellying the hell out of the ball out there, which for Venus means barely a first serve in. She's finding the wide angles though, and with Pierce busy worrying about any strands of hair tugged loose by the breeze on Centre Court, that's enough.

Tossing Venus calls heads and heads it is, so she will serve first. And, presumably after watching Serena's dogged appearances last week, she's also found a brush and raked it through her hair.

Preamble This should be an interesting one - like her sister, Venus Williams is rapidly turning into a bag-lady version of her former self, while Mary Pierce continues to annoy the hell out of everyone. Quite who the crowd will go with on Centre Court I'm not sure, neither has a huge fan base at the All England club. This is their first meeting here at Wimbledon, and the first time they'll have played each other on grass. Williams has had the better of their clashes over the last seven years, but Pierce won the last earlier this year and is in good form. Bet against Williams at your peril, mind.