Serena Williams wins fifth Wimbledon title, 14th career Grand Slam - Serena Williams won her fifth Wimbledon title on Saturday, steadying herself after a mid-match wobble to defeat first-time finalist Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 on her 14th Grand Slam title.
It was Serena's first major title since suffering a serious foot injury and pulmonary embolism. She became the first woman over 30 to win a major title since Martina Navratilova hoisted the Rosewater Dish in 1990.
Radwanska failed in her bid to get to No. 1 and be the very first major winner from Poland. She fell from the match early, getting broken in her own first two service games and barely avoiding a first-set bagel. Radwanska hung tough within the second set following a brief rain delay. The No. 3 seed battled back from a break down to even the set at 4-4 with the benefit of an undesirable line call. With Serena shell-shocked from the quick comeback, Radwanska stormed to a 7-5 win.
The momentum shifted back just as quick. Serena steadied her nerves, maintained her powerful serve and earned an earlier break in the third. Her serve was almost untouchable. She'd 102 aces for that tournament, a lady's record. The ladies with the second, second and third most aces in the tournament had 99 combined.
Serena's dominant experience Sunday continued a stellar run of play throughout the final week of the tournament. Serena broke a Wimbledon record for aces in her own fourth-round win after which broke her own record three days later. In her final three matches, Serena literally Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seeds. She lost a total of 21 (at 4-3 in third) games on the way to the title. The dominant final stretch was especially impressive considering her slow start in the All England Club. She was pushed to three sets in the 3rd and fourth round against No. 25 Jie Zheng and unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova. Against Zheng, Serena needed a 9-7 third set to advance.
Serena and her sister Venus have combined to win 10 of history 13 Wimbledons. The sisters play later on Saturday for their fifth Wimbledon doubles title.
Labels: Tenis
