There was a touch of symbolism in the way Serena Williams avenged her Australian Open final defeat to Angelique Kerber by overcoming the German 7-5, 6-3 to win a seventh Wimbledon title and equal Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 grand slams.
Serena wrapped up her 81-minute victory with a forehand volley winner at the net, the same shot she missed to lose that Melbourne final to Kerber six months ago.
It was Serena’s 16th successful point at the net on Saturday, out of 22 played up front.
In front of a star-studded audience that included superstars Beyonce and Jay-Z, who were sitting with Serena’s family in her box, legends like Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Margaret Court in the Royal Box, alongside American comedian Ellen Degeneres, and Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba elsewhere in the stands, the top seed defended her Wimbledon crown, making history in the process. Serena had been chasing Graf’s record for the past three majors, losing in the US Open semi-finals last year and the Australian and French Open finals this season.The champion's walk.@serenawilliams may have done it 6 times before, but it's still just as special...#Wimbledon https://t.co/zRrzc6sMCh
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2016