By Sarah Holt BBC Sport at Wimbledon

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Venus Williams ended Maria Sharapova's title defence and booked her own place in the final with a 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 win.

Williams broke first to take a 4-2 lead in a gripping opener but Sharapova responded with some fine groundstrokes to break back and force the tie-break.

The two-time champion raced 3-0 ahead as Sharapova mistimed her shots and went on to win a fantastic first set.

Sharapova gifted Williams a break at 1-0 in the second, and the American broke twice more to roar to the final.

Well done Venus! It looks like she is back to her best From Lil Have your say on Five Live

Williams will either face Amelie Mauresmo or Lindsay Davenport for the title after the other semi-final was suspended because of rain.

Sharapova had bettered Williams in their two previous head-to-heads and forced the American to fight off two break-points in the very first game.

But the Russian immediately came under pressure on her own service game, clawing back from 0-40 to hold at 1-1.

Williams' power and depth were met by Sharapova's own determined groundstrokes from the baseline but, after a fierce rally, Williams took the first break.

I love this tournament, this is the surface for me and I have a good record here Venus Williams

The former Wimbledon champion looked to have the first set well within her grasp and held two set-points at 5-4.

But she failed to convert them and her Russian opponent pounced to break back as Williams sent her forehand long.

Both players ground their way to the inevitable tie-breaker, their groans growing as they forced one another to chase the ball across Centre Court.

A lapse of concentration from Sharapova saw Williams race ahead, and she comfortably closed it out to take the set.

The Russian teenager looked a little shell-shocked as she opened up the second.

A string of unforced errors saw her lose her first game to love, and this time Williams made no mistake, consolidating the break at 2-0.

I'm very sad as this tournament means a lot to me, more than any other tournament Maria Sharapova

The American 25-year-old was back to her best, breaking again at 4-1 in the face of a wilting Sharapova.

As the clouds began to darken over Centre Court, Williams surged on despite Sharapova's last efforts, ensuring a Williams sister was in the Wimbledon final for a sixth straight year.

"Serena sent me an email telling me if I stayed in there and played my game then I was the best," Williams told BBC Sport. "And I remembered what she told me.

"I love this tournament, this is the surface for me and I have a good record here, so it's all kind of fallen into step.

"My aim in the tournament is just to be as good as I could in each round but my level has raised with each match."

A subdued Sharapova conceded after the match she had lost to the better player in a rain-delayed semi-final.

Moving an opponent around the court Hawk-Eye: Williams' first serve

"I played against a really good opponent and today it went to the better person," she said.

"I don't think I played my best tennis but credit to her for not making me play my best. She had a lot of hard, deep balls and was serving consistently big.

"I'm very sad as this tournament means a lot to me, more than any other tournament but there are many more years to come and I will do everything I can to come back and win."