7.30pm: The few people left on Centre Court are being treated to a men's doubles semi-final. Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, the No 2 seeds, have taken the first set off ninth seeds Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes on a tie-break.

6.34pm: It's all over Some stunning serving, including one measured at 120mph from Serena opens up a 5-2 lead, but Zheng battles back to 5-4 before a double fault at 6-5 hands the match to Williams. A disappointing finale to what was an incredible second set performance from the Chinese wildcard, especially after the first set capitulation, and an awful time to serve her first double fault of the match. But Zheng can be immensely proud of her achievements in this tournament, while Serena will be thankful to facing some sibling rivalry with Venus in the final after a straight sets win, 6-2, 7-6.

6.30pm: Williams saves a set point on her serve and finds two aces to get herself out of trouble at 6-6. Tie break.

6.26pm: Great mental strength from Zheng to save two break points and some handsome groundstrokes in possibly the best rally in the longest game of the match finally give her a 6-5 advantage. The Schuettler-Clement marathon is finally at an end with the German winning the final set 8-6 to triumph 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (7), 8-6 in a match that took two days to complete.

6.10pm: Good news - put those brollies away because the covers are off on Centre Court and play is, we are told, due to resume "imminently".

4.57pm: Drizzle turns into a torrent and we're off for rain once more. What a shame, just as the match was becoming a fascinating spectacle after the one-way traffic of the first set. Meanwhile the men's quarter-final between Schuettler and Clement is also left hanging, tantalisingly poised at 6-6 in the final set.

4.55pm: No chance. Serena finds her biggest serves of the match to go 40-0 up, and although Zheng pulls back to 40-30, a wayward forehand levels the game at 5-5.

4.50pm: Tremendous finishing backhand to go 5-4 up from Zheng, who looks a much better player in the second set. Can she break Williams again to level the match?

4.46pm: Williams ups the ante and raises her game once more, crashing four huge serves to take the game to love. 4-4.

4.42pm: The advantage doesn't last long. A very poor service game from Zheng, with a number of unforced errors and Williams is right back on track at 4-3.

4.40pm: Break! Zheng appears to getting the measure of the Williams serve and gives the American a taste of her medicine with a pulverising backhand to break Serena for the first time.

4.35pm: Zheng goes in front again at 3-2, wrongfooting Willams with a wonderful backhand. Much better from the Chinese player.

4.33pm: Williams opens up her shoulders and holds easily at 2-2. Neither player looking close to a break at the moment.

4.28pm: Both players looking confident, Zheng using a fair bit of power to take a 2-1 lead.

4.25pm: Lovely placement from Williams who wins her service game with ease. 1-1.

4.23pm: A confident hold by Zheng to 15. Can she put up more of a fight in this second set?

4.22pm: We're back on. Serena bashes through her service game to love to take the first set 6-2.

3.36pm: The diminutive Zheng saves three set points at 0-40, then outfoxes her more powerful opponent to keep herself in the set at 5-2. Then suddenly the heavens open and we're off for a rain break.

3.34pm: Meanwhile on Centre Court, Serena now leads the first set 5-1, with a double break of serve.

3.33pm: It's into a fifth set on Court One, Arnaud Clement wins the fourth set tie-break 9-7. He levels his quarter-final with Schuettler at two sets all.

As this match edges into its fourth hour, you can't help feeling the only winner is Rafael Nadal, who has his feet up today after his victory over Andy Murray last night.

3.24pm: Zheng holds her serve to get her first game on the board. Good news for the estimated 100 million-plus people watching in China. However, she still trails Serena 2-1 in the first set.

3.21pm: On Court One, we're into fourth set tie-break in the men's quarter-final between Schuettler and Clement. Schuettler leads by two sets to one.

3.18pm: Great start from Serena, she breaks the Zheng serve and holds her own to take a 2-0 first-set lead.

3.05pm: Zheng Jie, the 5ft 4in wild-card from China, and Serena Williams walk out on to Centre Court for the right to play Venus in Saturday's final. The players are interviewed just as they step onto court.

Zheng Jie says: "I want to try my best and have a great match today. Of course I am a little bit nervous but more excitement."

While a focused-looking Serena says: I am just here to enjoy myself today."

3.03pm: On Court One, Clement has broken back and we're back on serve at 4-4 in the fourth set of the last of the men's quarter-final.

2.53pm: That's it, Venus Williams takes the second set tie-break 7-3 and the match 6-1, 7-6. The defending champion is into her seventh Wimbledon final and now it's over to her little sister to see if she can make it a family occasion on Saturday.

Dementieva had her chances but she just couldn't hold her nerve when it mattered.

When asked if she wants a certain S Williams to reach the final, Venus says, "I am dying for S Williams to get through, I'm looking forward to meeting Serena in our third final, so I will be rooting her on."

2.52pm: Despite Andy Murray's defeat yesterday, British interest remains in the juniors, where we are at the quarter-final stage. On Court 18 14-year-old Laura Robson has taken the first set of her match with Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski 7-5. While another Brit, Naomi Broady, is into a final set in her match with Thailand’s Noppawan Lertcheewakarn.

2.45pm: We're into a second set tie-break on Centre Court and it's no more than Dementieva deserves. Who can hold their nerve?

2.40pm: On Court One Schuettler looks in control of this quarter-final now. He breaks the Clement serve to lead the fourth set 3-1. The German also leads the match by two sets to one.

On Centre Court Venus holds and Dementieva must, once again, hold her serve to stay in this match. She trails the second set 5-6.

2.38pm: Dementieva holds her nerve and her serve and it's now 5-5 in the second set.

2.34pm: Venus Williams holds to put all the pressure on Dementieva, who must hold her serve to stay in this match. She trails the second set 4-5.

2.28pm: Dementieva holds again to make it 4-4 in the second set. Venus Williams still looks on top of this one, but the Russian has raised her level is making a real match of this.

2.22pm: Schuettler takes a dramatic third set-tie break 8-6 to lead by two sets to one. At one stage Clement trailed 6-0 in the breaker but battled back to 6-6, only to lose the next two points.

The winner gets the chance to play Rafael Nadal, who is almost a decade younger than both these men and is resting today, in tomorrow's semi-final. Doesn't seem fair really...

2.19pm: On Centre Court, Dementieva holds to make it 3-3 in the second. The Russian looks like a different player to the one that played so poorly in the first set.

2.11pm: On Court One we're into third set tie-break in the men's quarter-final between Schuettler and Clement.

2.10pm: From 15-40 down, Dementieva holds serve for only the second time in the match. She is looking much more comfortable on Centre Court. 2-2 in the second set.

2.04pm: On Court One, it's 5-5 in third set of the men's quarter-final between Schuettler and Clement. The match remains all-square at one set all.

2.01pm: She hasn't had much to smile about, but Dementieva gets a fortunate net-cord and from nowhere she breaks the Williams serve. However, the Russian still trails 1-2 in the second set.

1.59pm: It's all falling apart for Dementieva. Venus breaks again at the beginning of the second set and she trails 2-0. Surely it's just a matter of time for Williams now.

1.54pm: Venus holds at the beginning of the second set and leads 1-0, while on Court One Clement holds serve to lead 5-4. Schuettler is serving to stay in the third set.

1.48pm: That's it Venus breaks to love and takes the first set 6-1. Dementieva just can't cope with her opponent's sheer power and athleticism. It's a long way back from here.

While on Court One, Schuettler holds his serve and his quarter-final with Arnaud Clement has reached a crucial stage at 4-4 in the third set. The match remains all-square at one set all.

1.45pm: Venus moves to within a game of the first set, she holds serve and now leads Dementieva 5-1.

1.40pm: Gutsy stuff from Schuettler on Court One, he breaks back in his quarter-final with Arnaud Clement, to get the third set back on serve at 3-4.

1.36pm: After 29 minutes she's done it. Dementieva saves five break points and wins her first game of the match. That's the good news for the Russian. The bad: she still trails Venus Williams 4-1 in the first set.

1.29pm: It's one-way traffic on Centre Court. After 18 minutes of this match Venus Williams is 4-0 ahead. Dementieva just can't get a foothold in this match.

1.27pm: On Court One, Arnaud Clement has broken the Schuettler serve and now leads the third set 4-1, after holding serve. The match remains all-square at one set all.

1.24pm: Williams breaks Dementieva for the second time in this match. She now leads the first set 3-0.

1.19pm: Venus Williams, under some pressure from Dementieva, eventually comes through her own service game to consolidate her early break. She leads 2-0 in the first set. The defending champion is well in control.

1.15pm: Rainer Schuettler and Arnaud Clement are underway on Court One in the unfinished men's quarter-final that began last night. It's currently on serve at 1-1 in the third set. It's also 1-1 in sets.

1.12pm: Venus Williams makes the perfect start, breaking the vulnerable Elena Dementieva serve at the first attempt. Williams leads 1-0. Could be an ominous start to this match.

1.07pm: We have Venus Williams and Elena Dementieva on Centre Court, which is bathed in glorious sunshine. The players are just finishing their warm-up and we should be underway shortly.

Thursday's order of play

10.44am: It promises to another fascinating day at SW19 as the women take centre stage on semi-final day.

With most of the tennis world predicting another all-Williams final it would be easy to forget that there is more to the women's event than Venus and Serena.

Zheng Jie, the 5ft 4in wild-card from the earthquake-devastated Chinese city of Chengdu, has produced the most romantic story of this year's championships. She is the first Chinese player to reach the semi-finals of a grand-slam tournament and a win against Serena Williams today would take her to a Wimbledon final on her 25th birthday on Saturday.

But first up on Centre Court, is Venus Williams, the defending champion, who takes on Elena Dementieva. The Russian is the highest seed, at No 5, left in the women's singles but has a reputation for wobbling as great as Venus's reputation for dominance at SW19. If both Williams sisters do win through today, as is widely predicted, it would be the third time they have met in a Wimbledon final.

Elsewhere, there is the forgotten match of the tournament, the unfinished men's quarter-final between Rainer Schuettler and Arnaud Clement, which is level at one-set all and will start proceedings on Court One at 1pm.

We'll keep you updated with all the action from SW19 from 1pm.