Serena Williams was crowned Wimbledon champion for the fifth time 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 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.
Serena's first Grand Slam since 2012
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.
"I can't even describe it," said Serena after her triumph. "I almost didn't make it a few years ago. I was in hospital but now I'm here again and it was so worth it. I'm so happy. Just never give up, you can continue. Thank you, guys in the box today, daddy, mum – I can't name everyone one but thank you from the bottom of my heart. Radwanska played so well and that's why she's had such a great career. You guys should give her another round of applause."
Inspired by the painful memory of her shock French Open first round exit against Virginie Razzano last month, Serena has spent the last month in a determined bid to re-establish her primacy. It is mission accomplished, but only just. 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.
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.
"I'm still shaking so much," said the Pole. "I think I had the best two weeks of my life. She was too good today but I'm just so happy to be here in the final. I think it was not my day but I'll try again next year."
Serena's success has its foundations in a serve so powerful and accurate that John McEnroe describes it as the greatest the women's game has ever seen. Williams has backed up McEnroe's view throughout this year's Wimbledon, hammering down 24 aces in her semi-final win over Azarenka to break the record of 23 she set earlier in the tournament.
Serena
"I can't even describe it. I almost didn't make it a few years ago. I was in hospital but now I'm here again and it was so worth it. I'm so happy. Just never give up, you can continue."
Radwanska
"I'm still shaking so much. I think I had the best two weeks of my life. She was too good today but I'm just so happy to be here in the final. I think it was not my day but I'll try again next year."
Published in The Pak Sar Zameen, July 8th, 2012.
Orignal From: Wimbledon 2012: Serena becomes queen of grass again
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