Victoria Azarenka and Jamie Murray booked their passage into the Wimbledon mixed doubles final with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Britain's Harriet Dart and Jay Clarke in just 55 minutes. For Murray, he has a chance to retain his title that he won with Martina Hingis last year.
Azarenka and Murray take their chances and go up a set
Jay Clarke got he and Harriet Dart off to a great start by holding serve to 15. On the Murray serve, they reached 15-30 with Clarke's excellent movement and skills at the net. The Scot's serve then landed on a plate for the 19-year-old to smash a forehand winner to bring up two break points.
Two excellent serves sent the game to deuce before he and Azarenka held firm to get on the board at 1-1. Serving for the first time, Dart's nerves on serve got the better of her as she and Clarke found themselves at 30-all. On the 21-year-old's second serve, came to the net and finished off the point with a running forehand to bring up the first break point.
The Belarussian forced the error from Derby-born Brit to gain the break before going on to impressively hold serve to love for 3-1. The young Brits then had to battle to save three more break points in the fifth game en-route to holding for 3-2.
Murray and Azarenka held serve once more and broke Dart's serve again with the 32-year-old intercepting and finishing off a volley for 5-2. At 15-30, the Scot brought up a set point after a split step which allowed him to close down and put away the volley. An ace from the 28-year-old finished off the set, 6-2 in 31 minutes.
Azarenka and Murray continue off from the first set as they reach the final
Both teams began the set in the same way as the first, holding serve with the score at 1-1. In the third game, the 21-year-old's serve came under scrutiny once more as Azarenka hit a pinpoint accurate return down the line to bring up two break points at the start of the second set.
Dart sent a forehand wide which led to her and Clarke falling behind in the set at 2-1. Azarenka continued to shine and consolidated the break to gain a comfortable lead at 3-1, losing just her third point on serve in the fourth game. Clarke continued to be the driving force in the team as he held his serve once more to stay just the game behind at 3-2.
However, Dart's serve was continuously coming under attack and two games later, Azarenka's sublime return game was on point as she earned her and Murray two break points and the chance to serve for the match.
The 21-year-old flashed a forehand down the line just long of the baseline which allowed the Belarussian and Brit the chance to serve for the match. Azarenka and Murray raced off to a love-40 lead, earning three match points. They had one saved but the 28-year-old's unreturnable serve sent her and Murray to the final.