LONDON: Serena Williams was crowned Wimbledon champion for the fifth time on Saturday as the American subdued a brave fightback from Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska to win 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 in a dramatic final.
Serena, who pockets a cheque for £1.15 milllion ($1.78 million), is the first woman over 30 to win Wimbledon since Martina Navratilova in 1990 and she needed all the experience gathered over her illustrious career to survive a remarkable revival from Radwanska.
After being completely out-classed for the first set and a half of her maiden Grand Slam final, Radwanska had Serena on the ropes before the sixth seed finally recovered her composure to reclaim the Venus Rosewater Dish in just over two hours on Centre Court.
A little more than a month ago, many started writing off Williams 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 so early.
But at Wimbledon, she looked every bit a champion again.
Williams has now equalled her sister Venus’s tally of five titles at the All England Club, but more significantly the 30-year-old’s 14th Grand Slam crown is her first at the majors since her last Wimbledon triumph in 2010.
Inspired by the painful memories of her shock French Open first round exit against Virginie Razzano last month and a spell in hospital with a serious illness 18 months ago, Serena has been determined to reestablish her primacy. It is mission accomplished, but only just.
“I can’t even describe it. I almost didn’t make it a few years ago when I was in hospital. Now I’m here again and I’m so happy,” a tearful Serena said.
“Thank you, guys in the box today, daddy, mom – I can’t name everyone one but thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“I just really never dreamed of being here again after being so down. It just shows you should never give up.
“It was really tough. Aggie played so well. But I’ve always wanted everything that Venus has. Sorry I had to copy you again Venus!”
Radwanska added: “I’m still shaking so much. I had the best two weeks of my life. Of course Serena was playing too good today but I’m just happy to be here in the final.
“I was unlucky to play a few matches in the cold and rain. That didn’t help me. It was not my day. I will try again next year.”
Radwanska had been so severely affected by an upper respiratory illness over the last few days that she withdrew from the doubles and cancelled her pre-match media commitments.
”Aggie played so well. That’s why she has had such a great career, and so young,” Williams told the crowd. ”You guys should give her another round of applause because she’s amazing and she did an amazing job today.”
Radwanska will move to second in the WTA rankings, but she could have been first had she won the final. Instead, Victoria Azarenka, the semi-finalist, will move to the top spot, replacing Russian Maria Sharapova.
The 23-year-old, the first Pole to reach a Grand Slam final for 73 years, recovered sufficiently to play, but she might have wished she was back in her sick bed in the first set.
Serena bludgeoned the first of 17 aces – taking her final tally for the tournament to a remarkable 102, which is a Wimbledon record – to clinch the opening game and she was equally powerful with her groundstrokes, converting her third break point for a 2-0 lead.
She broke again in the fourth game and, although sympathetic cheers echoed around Centre Court when Radwanska finally got on the scoreboard, it wasn’t long before Williams closed out the set in just 36 minutes.
After looking out of sorts in the first set, a brief rain delay offered Radwanska a chance to regroup, yet it seemed any hopes of a revival had been snuffed out when Serena broke to love in the third game of the second set.
But to her credit Radwanska kept fighting and, finally unfurling the subtle shots which have proved so effective over the last fortnight, she converted her first break point to level in the eighth game.
Serena looked vexed by the Pole’s changes of pace and nerves seemed to get the better of her as she surrendered the set with a succession of errors at 5-6.
On cruise control for so long, Williams was now being forced to battle for every point.
She thumped down four successive aces to hold serve and stepped up the power to land the decisive break for a 3-2 lead.
When she bagged another break with a delicate drop-shot, Serena punched the air as though the title was hers.
Moments later it was and she was soon clambering into the players’ box to celebrate with Venus and the rest of her family.
Williams is the first woman in her 30s to win a Wimbledon title since Martina Navratilova, who won at the All England Club in 1990 when she was 33. She was scheduled to play the women’s doubles final with sister Venus later in the evening. (Agencies)