Tennis: Venus Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title when she overawed Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-1 in the today's final. Williams, seeded 23, became the lowest seed to ever win the women's title.
Williams, competing in her sixth final at the All England Club, dominated her 22-year-old opponent with a display which was ruthlessly effective at key moments.
The American met with stubborn resistance throughout as Bartoli, who was clearly fatigued from yesterday's epic triumph over number one seed Justine Henin, battled bravely for every point.
Williams sounded an ominous warning when she blazed through the opening game by winning every point, and then picked apart Bartoli's serve in the second.
The Frenchwoman, ranked 19 in the world, looked nervous and double faulted on break point to hand Williams a 2-0 lead.
Williams was glued to the baseline where she could overpower her opponent with a string of accurate, powerful strokes.
With her stamina sapped by yesterday's epic against Henin, Bartoli double faulted once again to concede another break point in the fourth — only for Williams to squander the opportunity with a long forehand.
It was Williams' turn to double fault in the fifth, conceding two break points and hitting the second long to haul her opponent back into the set.
The American's error-count was growing steadily as her earlier authority vanished, largely as a result of the resistance offered by Bartoli.
Bartoli was serving to save the set in the 10th and she wilted in the face of a ferocious onslaught from Williams, who accompanied every shot with a loud cry of intent.
A double fault handed the 27-year-old two set points. The first was saved with a fine passing shot but Williams smashed the second out of reach.
Bartoli came under siege early in the second set and initially dug herself out of trouble with a series of crisp forehands, only to then be broken by a thunderous Williams backhand.
Play was interrupted when the former junior French Open champion required treatment on an array of blisters on her left foot and Williams followed suit, receiving attention to her left leg.
Bartoli was first up on her feet and she grew impatient waiting for Williams, whose thigh was now heavily strapped.
When play finally resumed, Bartoli raced through her serve and caught the eye with a precise lob which left Williams stranded.
But she conceded three break points in the sixth with Williams smashing a vicious backhand to claim the third.
Serving for the set, the American ended Bartoli's resistance with an unstoppable serve to take the set 6-1 — and the title.