Tennis

Serena Williams wins 4th Wimbledon, 13th major

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-07-04 09:25

Serena Williams of the US celebrates defeating Russia's Vera Zvonareva in the womens' singles final at the 2010 Wimbledon tennis championshipsin London, July 3, 2010. [Agencies]

Navratilova, who watched the final from a front-row seat, called Williams' serve "astonishing," the best ever for a woman.

Williams pounded serves at up to 122 mph and hit nine aces Saturday, taking her tournament total to a Wimbledon-record 89, 17 more than the mark she established last year. It's not simply about speed; Williams varies angles, spins, spots.

"She always changes it," Zvonareva said.

Williams never faced a break point and won 31 of 33 points when her first serve went in. She double-faulted three times, but followed each of the first two with an ace. Zvonareva also pointed out that because Williams knows she's successful holding serve, she returns more aggressively.

Indeed, Williams broke Zvonareva three times, including to go up 5-3 by curling a forehand passing winner on the run, then dropping to her right knee and raising a fist.

The second set began with Williams breaking again, when Zvonareva netted three consecutive groundstrokes, then spun around and shrieked. Zvonareva has a reputation for being temperamental — sobbing during points, even — but, at age 25, she says she's more mature these days. Draping a towel over her head during changeovers to make sure she stayed focused, Zvonareva got past former No. 1s Jelena Jankovic and Kim Clijsters this week en route to her first Grand Slam final.

As Saturday's match became increasingly lopsided, though, Zvonareva began to unravel. When she double-faulted to fall behind 4-1, she angrily smacked a ball before heading to the sideline. In the next game, Zvonareva slapped her left thigh with a palm and whacked her right thigh with her racket, muttering all the while.

After Williams ended the match with an overhead, Zvonareva plopped down in her chair and wiped away tears with her towel. Later Saturday, Zvonareva bawled while losing the women's doubles final, too.

Zvonareva and partner Elena Vesnina eliminated the Williams sisters in the quarterfinals. Perhaps that's why Zvonareva replied, "Of course," when asked if the younger Williams is beatable.

"She's a human being. She's not a machine," Zvonareva said. "I mean, it's very difficult to beat her. You have to play your best — but if you do, you can do it."