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Serena Williams has landed her fourth Wimbledon crown after crushing Vera Zvonareva in the final.
Saturday's showpiece never became a contest as the defending champion and top-seed stormed to her 13th grand slam title, recording a 6-3 6-2 success in just 67 minutes on Centre Court.
Russian 21st seed Zvonareva,
competing in her first grand slam final, overcame higher-ranked rivals Yanina Wickmayer, Jelena Jankovic and Kim Clijsters en route, but never got to terms with her opponent's power game and buckled on the big points.
Williams, who had only dropped three games on serve throughout the tournament, trails her older sister Venus Williams by one Venus Rosewater dish after claiming back-to-back titles at SW19.
The 28-year-old's fourth victory at the All England Club also means she surpasses Billie Jean King on the all-time grand slam singles titles list.
"This one is very special. Billie Jean, I got you," Serena told her compatriot who was watching on from the Royal Box. "I'd like to congratulate Vera, she has been through so much and she defines what a champion and never giving up means."
Confident start
The defending champion opened confidently with a rock-solid service game to love, and the Russian's nerves will have settled after levelling at 1-1 in front of a packed Centre Court crowd on a warm, overcast day in South-West London.
Zvonareva took the American top seed to deuce in game three before Serena clinched it with a third ace.
The first signs of pressure on the 21st seed came in the sixth game when three forehand errors gave Williams the first break point of the match.
But Zvonareva hit a pinpoint forehand into the corner to fend that off, and then a netted return from Williams made it 3-3.
The decisive breakthrough came in game eight when a double fault from Zvonareva took it to deuce, before a long backhand from the Russian gave Williams another break point.
The American smacked her racket into the ground in frustration when she netted a backhand return but a superb lob after a lucky netcord gave Williams another break point.
After lashing a winning forehand down the line, she went down on bended knee and celebrated with a fist-pump.
Zvonareva earned her first break point of the match in game nine, but Williams clung on and a long forehand gave the world number one the first set after 36 minutes.
Unsettled
The Russian looked unsettled and her tension was clear for all to see, including a host of former champions watching from the Royal Box, when a rushed netted forehand gave Williams a break in the opening game of the second set.
Zvonareva impressively saved two further break points trailing 1-3, but another double fault from the Russian meant a two-break deficit and an impossible mountain to climb.
Another confident service game took Williams to 5-1, and Zvonareva saved some pride with a hold of her own before Williams motored through the final game, smashing an overhead into the back wall for the moment of victory.
"Congratulations, you're a great player but also a great champion," Zvonareva told her conqueror in an emotional courtside interview. "You showed great determination throughout the week and you deserved to win today."
Saturday's showpiece never became a contest as the defending champion and top-seed stormed to her 13th grand slam title, recording a 6-3 6-2 success in just 67 minutes on Centre Court.
Russian 21st seed Zvonareva,
competing in her first grand slam final, overcame higher-ranked rivals Yanina Wickmayer, Jelena Jankovic and Kim Clijsters en route, but never got to terms with her opponent's power game and buckled on the big points.Williams,
who had only dropped three games on serve throughout the tournament, trails her older sister Venus Williams by one Venus Rosewater dish after claiming back-to-back titles at SW19.The 28-year-old's fourth victory at the All England Club also means she surpasses Billie Jean King on the all-time grand slam singles titles list.
"This one is very special. Billie Jean, I got you," Serena told her compatriot who was watching on from the Royal Box. "I'd like to congratulate Vera, she has been through so much and she defines what a champion and never giving up means."
Confident start
The defending champion opened confidently with a rock-solid service game to love, and the Russian's nerves will have settled after levelling at 1-1 in front of a packed Centre Court crowd on a warm, overcast day in South-West London.
Zvonareva took the American top seed to deuce in game three before Serena clinched it with a third ace.
The first signs of pressure on the 21st seed came in the sixth game when three forehand errors gave Williams the first break point of the match.
But Zvonareva hit a pinpoint forehand into the corner to fend that off, and then a netted return from Williams made it 3-3.
The decisive breakthrough came in game eight when a double fault from Zvonareva took it to deuce, before a long backhand from the Russian gave Williams another break point.
The American smacked her racket into the ground in frustration when she netted a backhand return but a superb lob after a lucky netcord gave Williams another break point.
After lashing a winning forehand down the line, she went down on bended knee and celebrated with a fist-pump.
Zvonareva earned her first break point of the match in game nine, but Williams clung on and a long forehand gave the world number one the first set after 36 minutes.
Unsettled
The Russian looked unsettled and her tension was clear for all to see, including a host of former champions watching from the Royal Box, when a rushed netted forehand gave Williams a break in the opening game of the second set.
Zvonareva impressively saved two further break points trailing 1-3, but another double fault from the Russian meant a two-break deficit and an impossible mountain to climb.
Another confident service game took Williams to 5-1, and Zvonareva saved some pride with a hold of her own before Williams motored through the final game, smashing an overhead into the back wall for the moment of victory.
"Congratulations, you're a great player but also a great champion," Zvonareva told her conqueror in an emotional courtside interview. "You showed great determination throughout the week and you deserved to win today."
ok sah yuh gat mi dere!
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