| Saturday, 5 July 2008 Written by Kate Battersby Venus Williams claimed her fifth Wimbledon singles crown after ending her losing run against sister Serena in Grand Slam finals to win 7-5, 6-4 in a riveting match which wonderfully lived up to the occasion. It was the seventh clash of the sisters in a Grand Slam final, but, ever since Venus won the first of those at the 2001 US Open, it had been Serena all the way in those big matches, including two previous Wimbledon finals. Both looked nervous as they arrived on court, but if that was the case they must have thrived on it. To describe the match as superlative is to somewhat do it down. This was not one for the conspiracy theorists to relish. The sisters had their match faces on. They were blasting not only the ball to bits but also, when they could, each other. It was an out-and-out display of competitive play, and it was gripping to watch. Of course so much of this match was always going to be about the serve. To begin with, 26-year-old Serena moved into gear faster on the unusually blustery Centre Court. Venus, 28, was out of sorts, surrendering her serve as she struggled to find her rhythm, while Serena trumped her with a punching crosscourt backhand. But Venus began to feel more comfortable from the moment she held for 1-2 by repelling a volley aimed right at her stomach. Some really thrilling rallies on key points followed. One moment Serena was returning beautifully, the next Venus would deliver a fighting rally with a great volley to take the point. Serena's serve, despite a patch of strapping behind her right shoulder, was a model of accuracy and variation, while the wind was playing havoc with Venus's ball toss. But at 4-3 Serena delivered a double fault and then sent a backhand wide for 30-40. She was completely in control, saving that break point, but Venus showed resilience to create another, and followed it with a great return to snatch back 4-4. This was wonderful play, filled with attack and invention. One appreciative wag in the crowd called out: "Come on, Williams!" Yet actually the key point in the set came in the next game. First Serena struck an outright winning return for break point, but she failed to do enough with the ball when she had a clear chance and was furious with herself. The set seemed to hinge on that moment, even though Venus subsequently sent a wild forehand down to give her sister two more chances to break. But such was Venus's pummelling of the ball that Serena had no chance to convert. For both sisters, their ratio of winners to unforced errors was superb. But Serena was not quite attacking the first serve as she had in the early games. By now the two of them were roaring with every strike of the ball. Venus bought up set point when Serena could not reach a crosscourt ball, and converted at once when Serena put the ball in the net. The younger sister dropped her racquet in self-disgust. Having had command of the set, she had permitted it to escape. It was the first one she had lost this fortnight. After that, the second set might have been an anti-climax. Not a bit of it. Venus was intelligently mixing up her serves but when she missed just one, it was enough to bring up break point. She repelled it by delivering a new Wimbledon speed record, blasting down a serve of 129mph. The third game of the set developed into a war of attrition. It lasted 14 minutes and encompassed 21 points, including six break points for Serena. Not until Venus slipped twice in succession on the baseline could Serena snatch the break. But what could have been a crucial moment mentally was nullified. Venus came up with the perfect reply by levelling it in the next game. By now it felt as if every game was pivotal, such was the mental nip-and-tuck. Outwardly Venus was a picture of calm as always, while Serena wore her intensity on her metaphorical sleeve. Looking for a way to make the breakthrough, she kept hitting the ball to Venus's forehand in long rallies, in an attempt to break it down. But Venus turned defence into attack, and suddenly at 5-4 - as if out of nowhere - she had two Championship points. No-one watching wanted the match to end. An exceptional ace saved the first. But Serena sent a backhand wide and this marvellous encounter – an occasion both sisters should be proud of – belonged to Venus.
| Centre Court - Ladies' Singles - Finals | |
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