Williams will have to start talking about it now.
Advertisement
Williams beat Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 in Saturday’s final, a victory that gives her 22 Grand Slam singles titles in her career.
As for Serena in singles, she is an incredible 22-6 lifetime in major title matches. I just learned to just play tennis.
“But I’m not thinking about this”. Yeah, it made for a really good match..
Before Wimbledon she had lost in the finals of the Australian Open and French Open, to Kerber and Garbine Muguruza respectively.
There was a stunning loss to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinals in September, ending Williams’ bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam.
“I don’t look at the reward, I look at how to achieve it, and there was clearly something missing in the last eight months, and the thing that was missing was just Serena”.
The pair, reunited at the start of the season in Rome after a two year break, were titling for their 14 Grand Slam bauble. “It was getting down to the pressure”. I know I have the game, all the experience to win a few more grand slams.
“Definitely so excited to win Wimbledon, that’s always a great feeling”.
Williams wasnt even done for the day after her singles match.
Oh yeah – and that afternoon, Williams and her sister Venus went on to win their sixth doubles at Wimbledon, and their 14th Grand Slam doubles titles overall.
Speaking on court after the win, Serena said, “it’s been incredibly hard not to think about it (the record). If you get in your vehicle, it might be the last time I see you'”. She faced just one break point – at 3-all in the second set, representing Kerber’s only real opening – and shut the door emphatically with aces at 117 miles per hour and 124 miles per hour.
Williams downplayed the impact of that loss, saying reaching the finals of the next two majors showed her continued ability to persevere. “We played a great match”, said Kerber.
“We had to hit the reset button to get ready for the doubles”.
In a high quality final, the World No. 1 dominated the rallies exchange at the outset using her big serve to good effect winning 88 percent of the points on serve. “You really deserve it, you are a great champion, a great person”, Kerber said. “It’s a feat even I couldn’t have thought would have happened”.
Advertisement
Despite the frustration of losing her first Wimbledon final as she failed to become the first German woman to triumph at the All England Club since Graf in 1996, Kerber had no complaints about playing second fiddle to Serena. This is Serena. When she needs to lift her level, to close: boom, she does it. This is Serena. I feel like when youre younger youre obviously super excited. That’s really all you need. Then we enter the singles, we dream of winning.
