Wimbledon 2016: Elena Vesnina jokes her semi-final with Serena Williams is down to distant link to Andy Murray’s coach
Unseeded Russian has carried on the joke started by Jamie Murray after he mocked tennis commentators’ 'obsession'
ELENA VESNINA is feeling ‘the Lendl effect’ ahead of her semi-final with Serena Williams.
The world No50 had never been past the last-16 of a Grand Slam before this year’s Wimbledon.
But Vesnina, 29, has joked her shock run to the last-four could be down to Ivan Lendl, the coach of Andy Murray.
That is because the unseeded Russian plays mixed doubles with Bruno Soares, who is the men’s doubles partner of Jamie Murray . . . Andy’s brother!
During Queen’s, Jamie actually started the hashtag #thelendleffect to mock the obsession of commentators putting Andy's form down to his reunion with Lendl.
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Soares joined in the fun last month when he tweeted: “Feel like I'm playing better already because Lendl is back with Andy, that's Jamie's brother, that is my partner. #thelendleffect”
At the time, Vesnina replied: “Bruno, so logically I should be the next who will be under #thelendleffect”
And speaking before she plays Williams, she smiled: “You see, I have it now!
“There’s definitely a Lendl effect.
Elena Vesnina is thanknig Ivan Lendl for her shock passage to the semi-final
“Bruno said, ‘You will get it’ and I am in the semi-final of Wimbledon so there is something in it!”
Vesnina will need more than Lendl's powers to beat world No1 Williams today.
And she added: “It will be a big challenge for me - but I hope I can accept this challenge.
“It’s a dream semi-final. Nothing can be better than playing against Serena in the semi-final on Centre Court. It’s special."