Five-star Serena reigns at Wimbledon again
Source: Agencies |
July 8, 2012, Sunday
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SERENA Williams is back, and she looks almost as good as ever.
The 30-year-old American won her fifth Wimbledon title yesterday on Centre Court, beating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to claim her 14th major championship.
After hitting a backhand winner on match point, she fell onto her back to the grass. She then rose with a grin as big sister Venus - another five-time Wimbledon champion - smiled and applauded. After shaking hands with Radwanska, Williams climbed into the box where her family was seated. She hugged her father, Venus, their mother and others.
Out on court at the All England Club, Williams had little trouble at the start, using her hard serve and powerful groundstrokes to win the first five games and run Radwanska all over the grass.
Radwanska, who was playing in her first grand slam final, has been ill with a respiratory problem, making it difficult for her to speak. In the second set and already down a break, the third-seeded Pole was coughing and blowing her nose during a changeover.
But she broke Williams in the next game to even the score at 4-4, and then broke again to win the second set. Williams responded in the third set, breaking twice and serving out to win another major title.
The match was played with the Centre Court roof open, and it was delayed by rain for a short time after the first set.
A little more than a month ago, many started writing Williams off for good. She lost in the first round of this year's French Open, the first time she had ever exited a grand slam tournament that early.
But at Wimbledon, she looked every bit a champion again.
She broke her own tournament record for aces in a match with 23 against China's Zheng Jie in the third round. Less than a week later, she eclipsed that mark with 24 against Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals.
Yesterday, she finished with 17 aces and a record 102 for the tournament.
It was Williams' first grand slam title since she won at the All England Club two years ago. Williams is the first woman in her 30s to win a Wimbledon title since Martina Navratilova, who won in 1990 when she was 33.
The 30-year-old American won her fifth Wimbledon title yesterday on Centre Court, beating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to claim her 14th major championship.
After hitting a backhand winner on match point, she fell onto her back to the grass. She then rose with a grin as big sister Venus - another five-time Wimbledon champion - smiled and applauded. After shaking hands with Radwanska, Williams climbed into the box where her family was seated. She hugged her father, Venus, their mother and others.
Out on court at the All England Club, Williams had little trouble at the start, using her hard serve and powerful groundstrokes to win the first five games and run Radwanska all over the grass.
Radwanska, who was playing in her first grand slam final, has been ill with a respiratory problem, making it difficult for her to speak. In the second set and already down a break, the third-seeded Pole was coughing and blowing her nose during a changeover.
But she broke Williams in the next game to even the score at 4-4, and then broke again to win the second set. Williams responded in the third set, breaking twice and serving out to win another major title.
The match was played with the Centre Court roof open, and it was delayed by rain for a short time after the first set.
A little more than a month ago, many started writing Williams off for good. She lost in the first round of this year's French Open, the first time she had ever exited a grand slam tournament that early.
But at Wimbledon, she looked every bit a champion again.
She broke her own tournament record for aces in a match with 23 against China's Zheng Jie in the third round. Less than a week later, she eclipsed that mark with 24 against Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals.
Yesterday, she finished with 17 aces and a record 102 for the tournament.
It was Williams' first grand slam title since she won at the All England Club two years ago. Williams is the first woman in her 30s to win a Wimbledon title since Martina Navratilova, who won in 1990 when she was 33.
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