Wimbledon Open:Garbiñe Muguruza is the first player to beat both Serena and Venus Williams in a Grand Slam final
Garbine Muguruza claimed her first Wimbledon title by ruthlessly denying the evergreen Venus Williams a record-breaking victory.
Muguruza was beaten by Serena Williams in her maiden grand slam final in 2015, but the Spaniard banished those painful memories by overcoming the best female player of all-time’s older sister 7-5 6-0 on Centre Court two years later.
Five-time Wimbledon singles champion Williams, defeated by Serena in the Australian Open final in January, spurned two set points in the opener and was unable to recover, failing to become the oldest woman to win a major in the Open Era at the age of 37.
Muguruza blew the 10th seed away in the second set to claim her second grand slam title in what was her first final at any level since winning the French Open last year.
Venezuela-born Muguruza, seeded 14, became the second Spanish woman to win the singles title at the All England Club, emulating her temporary coach Conchita Martinez’s success in 1994.
Williams showed incredible character to reach the final, having been involved in a car accident that resulted in the death 78-year-old man a matter of weeks before the tournament, but her nine-year wait for another grand slam singles title goes on.
Muguruza was in tears after exiting the French Open at the fourth-round stage last month, but the 23-year-old has dropped just one set at Wimbledon in a remarkable upturn in fortunes after benefiting from such an aggressive approach throughout the tournament to get her hands on the Venus Rosewater Dish.
The moment @GarbiMuguruza won #Wimbledon… pic.twitter.com/u2gg7xv55Z
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 15, 2017
Williams started with an ace under the roof and Muguruza settled into her first service game after an opening double fault, holding to level with a delicate drop shot.
A sumptuous cross-court forehand winner earned Williams a first break point, but Muguruza – again playing with a heavily bandaged left thigh – stood firm make it 3-3 despite struggling to get her forehand going.
Williams won an entertaining point in a lengthy seventh game that had the crowd on the edge of their seats and held after fending off a break point, having double-faulted three times to put herself under pressure.
Grunts from both players reverberated around the famous arena as a tense opening set progressed with nothing to separate them and Muguruza got herself out of trouble by saving two set points after a couple more errant forehands put Williams on the brink of taking the upper hand.
Williams’ forehand was also letting her down and, after she sprayed one way beyond the baseline to go 6-5 down, it was Muguruza who went a set up by raising the roof with a sublime backhand before her opponent netted a backhand to fall behind.
Muguruza had a spring in her step and fifth double fault from Williams gifted the world number 15 a break in the first game of the second set.
The relentless Muguruza fizzed two magnificent backhand winners beyond Williams as she raced into a 4-0 lead and the American looked startled as she continued to rack up far too many mistakes.
An emotional Muguruza wrapped up victory in a flash, reeling off a ninth game of a row and claiming the title when she challenged successfully after her vastly experienced opponent sent another forehand long.
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Muguruza [14] bt Williams [10] 7-5 6-0
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Muguruza – 14/11
Williams – 17/25
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Muguruza – 1/2
Williams – 3/5
BREAK POINTS WON
Muguruza – 4/7
Williams – 0/3
FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE
Muguruza – 71
Williams – 71
PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE
Muguruza – 77/50
Williams – 61/33
TOTAL POINTS
Muguruza – 67
Williams – 50
