Serena Williams beat a battling Garbine Muguruza 6-4 6-4 in the Wimbledon final on Saturday to land her second 'Serena Slam' and secure the 21st Grand Slam title of her career.
After losing a close first set and battling bravely to come back from 5-1 down in the second, the 21-year-old Spaniard was eventually downed after one hour and 23 minutes to leave Williams to receive the acclaim of the Centre Crowd.
At 33 years and 289 days, Serena surpasses Martina Navratilova as the oldest player to win Wimbledon, or any of the other three Grand Slams, in the Open era.
"It feels so good. Garbine played so well. I didn't even know it was over because she was fighting so hard at the end. She will be holding this trophy very, very soon. I am happy it was such a great match," said Williams.
"I can't believe I am standing here with another Serena Slam. It is so cool. It has been a pleasure and an honour to give so many years in this unbelievable place."
Muguruza, born in Venezuela and raised in Barcelona, had insisted facing Serena was a task to be relished rather than feared.
She was proving true to her bold claim and, by the time Muguruza moved into a 4-2 lead, it seemed an epic shock was on the cards.
However, Serena had recovered from worse predicaments earlier in the tournament.
And with the pressure ratcheted up, the inevitable Serena break back arrived in the eighth game when Muguruza missed with a wild forehand.
Williams scented blood and Muguruza crumbled, a double-fault on set point gift-wrapping the lead to Serena in a set that had been the underdog's for the taking.
Williams had won 28 of her last 30 tour-level finals, including her last nine at the majors, and, in her eighth Wimbledon final, she was finally back in that muscular groove.
Serena's fierce grimace and clenched fist after breaking in the fourth game of the second set suggested the finish line was in sight
But, serving for the match with 5-1 and then 5-3 leads, Williams was gripped by a bad case of nerves and Muguruza broke twice to prolong the contest.
Finally able to compose herself, Serena broke in the next game to seal yet another legacy-defining success.
(Skysports)
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