Winner Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber. AELTC/Joel Marklund . 09 July 2016
- Serena Williams beats Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3
- Equalled 22nd Grand Slam title to match Open Era record of Steffi Graf
- Serena: “Victory even sweeter knowing how hard I had to work for it”
Serena Williams, 34-year-old, has equaled Steffi Graf’s open-era record of 22 grand slam singles titles on this day, Saturday, after a gut-wrenching but well-deserved 7-5, 6-3 victory over another German, Angelique Kerber, for her seventh Wimbledon crown.
The legend grows.
Serena is warmly congratulated at the net by Kerber after winning her 22nd Grand Slam title. https://t.co/y4eiNRGvcl
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2016
Serena was close to this achievement in each of the past three grand slams. She lost to Kerber in the last Australian Open final in January, she won a tightly fought first set and then held on in the second to clinch an emotional victory. Serena has no move within two of the all-time grand slam record of 24. Margaret Court holds the overall record for Grand Slam titles, with 24 from 1960 to 1973.
Angelique Kerber, who was playing in her first Wimbledon final, pushed Serena all the way, fighting for every ball and using her outstanding speed to cover everything. But it seemed Serena’s defeat in Melbourne and most recently in the final at the French Open had hardened Williams’ resolve even further and Williams was not to be denied.
Serena Williams, while making history, clinches her seventh Wimbledon title against Kerber in front of a packed aundience which includes: rapper Jay Z and his super-diva wife, Beyonce, Natalie Portman and David Attenborough.
Serena’s first interview as a 22-time Grand Slam champion…#Wimbledon https://t.co/VhHRZOyORI
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2016
Serena has always insisted that “22 has never been my goal,” but despite reaching three Grand Slam finals in a row this year, she had not been able to reach it.
Age 34 and title count 22, are two numbers with which Serena is being linked. Graf won her 22 over 16 years and a total of 56 starts (she had 12 years between her first and last Slam). That’s a title in 39.3% of her starts. Serena won her 22 over 18 years, a total of 64 starts — 34.4%), but with her solid performance today, she is still hungry for more.
Next month, Serena begins her quest to pass Steffi Graf
Catch 22…
Two legends, nothing to separate them. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/j2AzVFnGwx
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2016
