July 06, 2008

VENUS Williams outhit younger sister Serena to claim her fifth Wimbledon crown in exhilarating fashion.

The defending champion recovered from a whirlwind start by her younger sister to land her seventh grand slam title, winning 7-5 6-4 on Centre Court.

The quality of the meeting dispelled any suggestion that the siblings were incapable or unwilling to produce their best tennis against each other.

But Venus admitted she never found it easy to take on Serena, who comfortably won their previous Wimbledon finals, in 2002 and 2003.

"My first job is a big sister, and I take that very seriously," she said.

"It is hard for all of my family, although I like to think they want me to win.

“It was a Wimbledon final, I expected her to be all over everything I put out there. I did not really think a lot, I just kept playing.

“It was not looking that great at 3-1 and 4-2 (for Serena) but when it got even it got a little bit closer.

“When the match is that close it is more exciting to win but I'm definitely in tune with my sister's feelings. You can never detract from winning Wimbledon but I was definitely thinking about how my sister is feeling.

“At no point am I able to forget that it is Serena on the other side of the net. I have the ultimate respect for her game. If I was playing anyone else I would not have had to face what I had to face today.''

Serena, who had won five of her previous six grand slam finals against her sister, admitted things had not gone as she had expected.

"She was a little better today, but it didn't work out as planned," she said.

"But I'm so happy that at least one of us could win. We were glad to be in the final."

The lacklustre nature of some of the sisters' previous meetings had led some people to voice fears that this would be another contest lacking in the intensity both women bring to bear on other rivals.

On that score, the opening point of the match was encouraging as Serena ruthlessly took advantage of a short second serve with a searing forehand down the line.

Any lingering doubts this would be as ferociously contested as any final of recent years were then completely banished by an exchange in the third game of the match.

Serena was looking to take a stranglehold on the match having followed her break in the opening game with a service game to love, and she duly accepted the opportunity to punish an under-hit volle - lashing the ball straight at her elder sister's midriff. Survival instincts alone enabled Venus to get her racquet onto the ball, and somehow she squeezed it back over the net to win the point.

The defending champion managed to hold serve but the momentum remained with Serena, who was denied a 4-1 lead when a forehand from her sister caught the top of the net and dropped almost dead on the second break point of the fifth game.

Venus was clinging on and her perseverance paid off when Serena's level finally dipped sufficiently for the elder sister to level things with a break for 4-4.

Venus, the defending champion, then got her nose in front after a sporting gesure from her sister. With Serena having exclaimed 'no' as she mishit a backhand, both sisters were surprised to see the ball drop in. The umpire ordered the point replayed but Serena conceded it and the game.

A tentative edge had appeared in Serena's game by this stage and, serving at 5-6, she gifted her sister the first set with a tamely netted backhand.

The first game of the second set saw Venus fired down a serve at 208km/h - a Wimbledon record - but Serena appeared to have regained the initiative when she converted her seventh break point in the 14-minute third game of the second set.

But Venus hit back immediately to level.

The games then went with serve until, with Serena serving at 4-5, Venus ran down a drop shot and sent a backhand down the line to claim two match points.

Serena produced an ace to save the first but a long rally on the second ended with her pushing a backhand just wide to hand her sister the title.

Venus paid tribute to the performance of Serena.

"I can't believe it is five because when you are in the final against Serena Williams, five seems so far away," she said.

"It's unbelievable especially with some of the injuries I have gone through. I love this place."