Williams overcomes tension to win fifth Wimbledon crown
Williams overcomes tension to win fifth Wimbledon crown
Serena
Williams overcame a bout of the jitters in the second set to claim her
fifth Wimbledon title with a 6-1 5-7 6-2 win over Agnieszka Radwanska in
the final.
"I never dreamed of being here. You just never give up.
Aggie played so well, and she did an amazing job," said Williams, who
was rushed to hospital last year to undergo surgery after a blood clot
was found on her lungs.
Williams was a heavy favourite coming into the match and seemed set
to dismantle the Polish player, who could pick up only one game in an
opening set that ran for 36 minutes.The American blew her nervous opponent off court in the first set, spraying countless winners off both flanks, but was then forced to go toe-to-toe with the Pole.
After a delay in proceedings due to rain, Williams continued to exert herself in moving 4-2 clear in the second set with a break only to appear to suffer a mental collapse as her service game and forehands seemed to desert her with Radwanska breaking back twice to force the final to a third set.
Williams looked in trouble when she fell 2-1 behind early in the third set, but regained her composure to break for a 3-2 lead before she converted a drop shot to break for a second time to lead 5-2.
With the tension gone, she saw out the final by wining a fifth straight game. She closed out the match with a backhand winner and fell backwards onto the Centre Court turf in celebration before racing off court to embrace her family.
