view photoLONDON (AFP) - Serena Williams clinched her third Wimbledon title and 11th Grand Slam crown with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over sister Venus, the defending champion, here on Saturday.
The victory added to her 2002 and 2003 wins at the All England Club and shattered Venus's hopes of a hat-trick of titles and sixth overall which would have taken her level with Billie Jean King.
AFP/Glyn Kirkview photoSaturday's final was the fourth all-Williams title match-up at Wimbledon and eighth in all Grand Slams with the win giving Serena the edge in head-to-head meetings at 11-10.
Of the eight major finals the sisters have faced each other in, Serena has won six.
"It feels so amazing. I'm so blessed. I feel like I shouldn't really be holding the trophy, Venus should be holding it, she always wins," said Serena who currently holds three of the four Grand Slam titles.
"I can't believe I have won 11 majors. It's a real honour."
Venus, 29, admitted Serena had been the better player of the two.
"She was just too good today. She had an answer for everything and played the best tennis," said Venus after a final fittingly staged on US Independence Day.
"I don't think the loss has set in yet, that's why I'm still smiling. But I have had some great times here and I'm looking forward to coming back next year."
Serve dominated the first set with 27-year-old Serena fighting off the only two break points in the eighth game and it was the younger of the two sisters who seized control of the tiebreak.
Serena went to three set points by forcing Venus to scramble from side to side before putting away a powerful crosscourt forehand.
Venus saved the first set point but was powerless when a pinpoint lob from her sister left her stranded at the net.
It was the first set Venus had dropped at Wimbledon since the third round in 2007, a run of 34 consecutive winning sets.
Serena, who had saved match point in her marathon semi-final win over Elena Dementieva, carved out her first set point when Venus double-faulted to hand her a 4-2 lead and revenge for last year's final defeat to her sister looked likely.
Second seed Serena held to love, backed-up by her 12th ace of the match, to lead 5-2.
She then wasted three match points in the eighth game but clinched the title when Venus netted with a forehand.
Comment 1 - 8 of 8
Sebastian.. you don have to be a pro tennis to love tennis. Thats the beauty of the game. Its he appreciation and the love of the game that makes tennis what it is now. So if you sister is shouting at her favourite player, let it be. Unless it kills you, you should not be bother about who loves tennis.
i'm just wondering...does any of you guys and gals play tennis? or are you guys just spectators. no offense to anyone... but my older sister happens to not play tennis and she acts like a mom watching her son play basketball and shouts out, "up and over".... she doesn't really know what's going on, but i hear her talking to the TV. it's a little ridiculous. i ask if anyone plays because if you play the sport, you understand a bit more of the world of tennis. i think if you are good and you keep winning titles, then keep on going.
i remember when i went to see my first televised tennis thinga ma jig. it was the RCA indianapolis i believe. i remember hearing this older woman screaming for this guy playing against some good tennis player. i kept hearing "Jam Mike" is what she kept calling him. gosh was it as annoying as watching my sister cheer for tennis players on TV. sorry about the rant. if any one lives near Mt. Prospect, ILLINOIS please let me know and we'll have a challenge.
Well we just have to say well done to the williams sisters they did it again another final.I wanted Venus to win but hey Serena did so congrats to her.Will she be number one on monday no she won't which is daft in my mind the wta tour needs to get this sorted.Dinara Safina only won one game vs Venus and she is number one what a joke enough said.
this is a message for Dinara Safina:s.
The should kick you off the number one spot on the world ranking. this is such a shame for womens tennis. Dinara hass won nothing bigs NOTHING,..!!! Non of the Majors.
she was like a top 100 player against venus in the semi's.
soo please replace serena for dinara, and put dinara at least nr 3 of the world rankings,..!!!
Gordonalex71,(1&2).......I'm sure that whatever it is that Richard Williams said and however BBC commentators pronounced "Dementieva", it probabely wouldn't have mattered had it been that Dementieva beat Serena and eventually win Wimbledon. All i see is you being utterly bitter than no one seem to stop The Williams Sisters. You'll be ok! Just sit back and see what happens at the upcomming US Open.
Well done Serena! It's all about winning those who don't like it, know what to do! Congrats Serena! Played solid and powerful, love it!
In the semi-final the commentators couldn't even pronounce Dementieva's name properly! On three occasions they called her 'Dementia'! So much for professionalism and research! Everything Serena Williams did was 'amazing' or 'outstanding' and everything Dementieva did was 'a good try'!!!
Wimbledon and the BBC should be ashamed of themselves.
What a fiasco! After all the racist and bigoted comments made by Richard Williams, yet more money pours into the coffers of the Williams family. Why did Wimbledon allow him in after he called Chris Evert and Tracy Austin 'white trash'? It is a total and utter disgrace.
There is something terribly wrong in the world of women's tennis, for those with eyes to see.
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