Wimbledon - Serena seals third Wimbledon crown

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Jul 09:52:00 2009

Serena Williams beat her sister Venus in straight sets 7-6 6-2 to clinch her third Wimbledon singles crown on a packed Centre Court.

TENNIS 2009 Wimbledon Serena y Venus Williams tras ganar la final Foto: EFE - 0

The victory was the number two seed's third victory over her sister in a final at SW19, and came in convincing fashion after a first set tie-break.

Serena stepped up her intensity to devastating effect in the breaker, and clinched it 7-3 with Venus clearly taken aback by her sisters' sudden surge of momentum.

The second set was comprehensively won by the world number two, and after breaking her sister's serve in the sixth game, she compounded her misery by closing out the match with a second.

29-year-old Venus had hoped to secure a coveted sixth Wimbledon singles crown, but could not match the power or conviction of her sister.

The sisters went into the match with their head-to-head record tied at 10-10, but with Venus possessing a superior record at the All England Club.

From four contests in Wimbledon finals, the 27-year-old Serena has now won three, with her previous wins back in 2002 and 2003, and in the process she reversed last year's result.

The standard of serving was exemplary in the opening set, with both sisters finding their rhythm and backing the deliveries up with fierce forehands.

Indeed, Venus looked the more dominant from the outset with an array of fearsome forehands driven down the line as Serena scrambled to remain on terms at the back of the court.

Serena fought off two break points after a thunderous backhand down the line gave Venus the ascendency, but the second seed held her composure to hold.

After stemming the early tide of pressure exerted from her sister, Serena began to take a foothold, and as the set developed, she grew in stature.

A first set tie-break was forced after Serena held serve under pressure, and she carried her momentum through to seize the initiative and hold four set points after she out-powered her sister.

Venus saved the first set point, and surged into the net to apply pressure to Serena's backhand side, but she unleashed a sublime lob to seal the set with a real flourish.

The second set was equally impressive in terms of the clinical serving coming from both sisters, and the first five games passed without drama.

The sixth game saw a notable implosion from Venus, who suddenly began to look vulnerable to her serve being attacked, and she capitulated under the pressure put on it.

Serena capitalised on some hesitant serving from her sister, who lost her certainty, and the world number two slammed two forehands down the line to force a crucial break.

Serving to stay in the match at 5-2 down, Venus conceded three Championship points and saved each, with Serena unable to convert her advantage.

During an extended deuce, Serena drove a regulation backhand into the net to squander a fourth, as her impatience to clinch victory took its toll.

Venus simply could not find the added level she required to test her sister as the pressure continued to grow, and she found the net with a backhand to finally give her sister victory.

Serena has now won 11 Grand Slam titles and holds the Wimbledon, Australian and US Open crowns.

The Williams sisters face Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs in the ladies' doubles final later on Centre Court.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport

Comment 263 - 282 of 342

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  1. These 2 ladies have DOMINATED women's tennis.­­ Credit where credit is due. Unfortunately, the media­­ tends to glorify Jamaican scum like Rhianna and­­ gangster rappers like Jay-Z, Puff (talentless) Daddy­ etc. We should have more­ positive and inspirational­ role-models for our­ children, like the Venus sisters.

    From OsmanK, on Sun 5 Jul 12:53AM

  2. Kearny, they are prettier than you. You fat­ misogynist!!

    From kara, on Sun 5 Jul 12:31AM

  3. Mark, they were raised as Jehovah's witnesses but­ don't practice it any more. I guess it didn't­ fit with their decadent Western lifestyle. That's­ what makes me laugh about Richard. He insists­ "I'm African, not American" -- yet their­ materialist fame-fuelled life is a complete affront to­ Africans. Jenny From The Block part 2.

    From Chemical Ali, on Sun 5 Jul 12:19AM

  4. WAT HOPPANS TAY MECHAL OWENS WHAN YE GAV EM VIAGRA. A­ GROWS TALAR. HAHAHAHA. DAY YE GET AT? HES A DACK YEES­ SEAS.

    From Donney, on Sat 4 Jul 11:59PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A DINNAE WANT TAY EAR ABOOT RACE UR RELIGIAN.

    From Donney, on Sat 4 Jul 11:57PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ALREET BYES WASH OPP . YEE DARTAY BOSTURDS. HAHAHAHA.

    From Donney, on Sat 4 Jul 11:57PM

  7. Wow, eel.shock @294...
    ...I­ hope your anger eats you­ up and consume you till you­ disappear from the face of­ the earth...
    I'm sending serious love to you­ (wo)man.
    I hope you don't mind that my skin is­ green.

    From i_cottrell, on Sat 4 Jul 11:52PM

  8. COMMENT 294

    Wtf are you talking about? Saying that­ whites are not civilized and blacks are somehow­ superior? look at south africa since 1994 that place­ has been more lawless since the white government haded­ over power P.W. Botha said blacks weren't capable­ of running a steady democracy and has been proven­ right!

    From lichelleleredman, on Sat 4 Jul 11:48PM

  9. hey folks can you please stop passing ridiculous­ comments on williams sisters!They are just smashing!!

    From brigan, on Sat 4 Jul 11:42PM

  10. hierarchyzz -- yes you're wrong, women have­ received equal prize money since 2007 at Wimbledon

    From Chemical Ali, on Sat 4 Jul 11:30PM

  11. Why do some people waste their time here trying to­ teach so-called white people how to get civilized?­ It's well documented how they do everything using­ only brute force.First,they said that blacks­ weren't capable of coping with European­ climate.That was a fairy tale told to deny them spots­ in sports.That myth debunked,they proceeded to saying­ blacks weren't capable of learning.That also­ debunked,they are employing fear antics and tactics­ like the ones used here.They are resorteing to what­ they know to do best,that is,misinform their offspring­ and feed them with lies about other human beings.What a­ shame!!!!!
    I really thought white people were shameless­ and they are really are.
    Hey,it's not all white­ people.Just the dumb ones and they make up the bulk of­ the population.
    If the Williams sisters are ugly­ cows,then you are dumb playing with a cow that you know­ will out-smart you in inteliigence and status.
    These­ are cows with celebrity status and they command respect­ everywhere they go.You are there in a cubicle hiding­ and cowing behind your computer writing rubbish and­ utter nonsense.
    I know you are frustrated and angry.I­ hope your anger eats you up and consume you till you­ disappear from the face of the earth.Times have changed­ and all lies against blacks are coming to the­ surface.Shame unto you all--you haters.

    From Eel, on Sat 4 Jul 11:25PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The williams sister are, don't get me wrong­ extremely talented but should maybe be entered in the­ mens draw next year as they are ore masculine than­ Roger Federer and Andy Roddick combined, and besides­ the prive money is greater in mens tennis because­ nobody really wants to hear two "women"­ grunting like wild animals during mating season.... am­ i wrong... ?

    From hierarchyzz, on Sat 4 Jul 11:15PM

  13. Cameron....also, check out post 288. See evidence of­ what I mean?

    From Hatsutking, on Sat 4 Jul 11:10PM

  14. cameron w #212: The large number of "Thumbs­ Up" on SAMM neither surprise nor frighten those of­ us who have had to survive quietly the dastardly­ prejudices and detestable philosophies of the western­ world if we wanted to live. The muzzles are off­ finally, and you are able to hear what others have had­ to silent endure from master and so-called upper­ classes. The web can be a dreadful place, but it does­ offer you a perspective of how people really feel about­ each other. i believe its a positive process in the­ long run.

    From Hatsutking, on Sat 4 Jul 11:08PM

  15. BRUCE LEE ­ hehehehhehehhehehehehehheheheheheheheheheh1111111111111­ 111. I thought that you are dead!!!! The DEAD refuses­ to stay DUMP!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Flex, on Sat 4 Jul 11:03PM

  16. @ LEE!!!!!! Bruce Lee, i thought that most whites are­ civilised, but u've jolted me back to reality with­ your Racist comments here. it seems that you don't­ even know how cows look like? Who knows, they maybe­ Bi-Pedal cows where u hail from. as Kemykal rightly­ pointed out, where have u been 4 the past 30 Yrs? Maybe­ u r just waking up from Hibernation. In that case, u­ better go back to ur foul hibernation, the world is a­ better place without a Nendathal Man like!!!!!!!

    From Flex, on Sat 4 Jul 10:50PM

  17. Man what a racist bunch on here tonight! How can you­ say that they look like Gorilla's? shocking!

    From RICHARD, on Sat 4 Jul 10:46PM

  18. @ lee... i can see u r punk @#$% witz no brain. u jst­ son of @#$% datz has no respect 4 women..i wunder if u­ get one. Im not suprise cuz i knw u r jst little @#$%­ wits no generation history.......u son of d devillll

    From zizi, on Sat 4 Jul 10:42PM

  19. oh and darling attaha - get your facts right before you­ post sweetie pie because you truly are very stuopid­ aren't you lovey ?
    Eurosport was created in 1989­ and is 100 percent owned by TF1, the leading French­ generalist television channel. Yahoo is owned by­ Americans.
    You are on internet when you post your­ rubbish sweetie - use it to find out facts before you­ start ranting

    From michael b, on Sat 4 Jul 10:42PM

  20. My name is Mary and i'm a Federer hater, I­ can't help it I just have an aversion to people­ with deformed faces and gay boy armani tuxedos with­ their own initials stamped on them in gold crusted­ jewels - can i have my free nicotine patches now please­ ?

    From michael b, on Sat 4 Jul 10:38PM
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