Williams celebrates fourth
WIMBLEDON, England – Centre Court at Wimbledon is a world away from Compton, Calif. But to Venus Williams, it has become as familiar as her backyard.
The court that vexes so many tennis players and rewards so few has been the scene of Williams’ greatest triumphs. On Saturday, it became the scene of her most improbable, as Williams became the lowest-seeded woman in Wimbledon history (23rd) to hoist the champion’s trophy.
In defeating unlikely finalist Marion Bartoli of France, 6-4, 6-1, Williams claimed her fourth Wimbledon title. In doing so, she joined Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf as the only women to have won the sport’s most prestigious title four times.
Williams earned another distinction in the process, becoming the first woman in Wimbledon history to earn prize money equal to the men’s champion, who will be decided today. After thanking her younger sister Serena, whose Australian Open victory earlier this year inspired her stirring run, and a support base that includes her parents, trainers, agent and boyfriend, Williams paid homage to King, who looked on from the Royal Box.
“No one loves tennis more than her,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”
The Williams sisters have turned Wimbledon into a family fiefdom this decade, with Venus winning four titles (2000, ‘01, ‘05, and 07) and Serena two (2002, 03). But neither was regarded as a favorite this year given the injuries that have limited their schedules. But in the span of 12 days, Venus transformed herself from an error-prone player with more heart than skill to an unbeatable force, dispatching the world’s second-, fifth- and sixth-ranked players in succession.
In her news conference afterward, Williams was asked if it felt like two different tournaments: one in which she nearly lost to unknowns, and one in which she toppled greats.
No, she said. From the moment Serena won the Australian Open as an unseeded player, Venus knew she could win Wimbledon regardless of her ranking, her seeding or the esteem in which she was or wasn’t held by the sport’s prognosticators.
“As long as we’re fit, we just have so much to give on the court,” said Williams, 27.
Still, former world No. 1 Tracy Austin could scarcely believe the transformation.
“I think only the Williams sisters can do that – where they can turn a switch on and kind of convince themselves to play with confidence,” said Austin, now a commentator for the BBC. “No one else has ever played that distinctly different from one match to the next through a Grand Slam.”
If Williams had reason to draw confidence from Centre Court, Bartoli, seeded 18th, had none. In seven years as a touring pro, the Frenchwoman had never advanced beyond the third round of a Grand Slam event. But like Williams, she gained momentum with each round.
It had the makings of a rout from the moment they strode on court, each carrying the traditional floral spray bestowed upon the ladies finalists, with ball girls trailing behind carrying their racket bags. Bartoli, 22, had never been treated so royally.
But reality intervened in the form of Williams’ blistering strokes and booming serve.
“She reached some balls like I never see one person reach some balls like that on a tennis court, and she would even hit it hard back to me,” Bartoli said. “I mean, it’s not possible to beat her. She’s just too good.”