Venus seemed more clued up when she and Serena combined to win the doubles title later in the evening, beating Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3 6-4.
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Superb entertainment ensued for fans on Centre Court and the millions watching around the world as Kerber attempted to neutralize Williams’ power.
“It’s a great feeling to be here”.
Speaking on court after the win, Serena said, “it’s been incredibly hard not to think about it (the record)”.
In singles, Serena Williams got better as the tournament went along, taking the last 12 sets she played after dropping a tiebreaker to open her second-round match against Christina McHale. And still she goes on, her record in major finals now an incredible 22-6.
Having finally tied Graf’s landmark with a seventh Wimbledon triumph that took her within two of Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 majors, Serena was asked if she was now focused on surpassing that tally to establish herself as the best ever.
All she knows of the imposing Albury-bred champion who so successfully straddled the amateur and Open eras to win an astonishing 64 majors, including doubles and mixed, from 1960-1973 in what was a very different tennis time, is, well, just “basic facts”.
Championship No. 22 comes 14 years after Williamss first Grand Slam win.
“I feel anyone in my color in particular is of concern”, Williams said to si.com.
The Williams sisters plan to compete in singles and doubles at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month.
I dont know, Williams said when told about McEnroes comment.
Said she wouldn’t discuss it.
The number one-ranked women’s tennis player in the world, Williams appeared to be in top form, and it took her just 1 hour and 21 minutes to finish off the younger Kerber. They had never lost a Grand Slam final together, testimony to their sense of obligation to each other and to their genuine togetherness. It’s pretty impressive. I had to start looking at positives, not focusing on that one loss per tournament which really isn’t bad, and for anyone else on this tour would be completely happy about it.’ But she obviously analyzed the match won today against Angelique Kerber as well: “It was a great final”.
Kerber, however, said that she was no less and played on a really high level in the finals.
“I actually met her this year, in fact”.
A 14th women’s doubles title together moves the Williamses to a share of second place on the open era list, alongside the team of Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva but six adrift of the Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver partnership.
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The Williams sisters also won doubles titles at Wimbledon in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009 and 2012. I mean, I think if I did, I wouldn’t have been able to do well in Australia or the French Open.
