VENUS WAS serving at 100 mph into her younger sister's body. Serena smashed a ball at the chest of her elder sister. Thoughts of allocating major titles like fortune cookies between the two best players in the world were buried for another year on Centre Court in an oddly detached, emotion-free women's final in which Venus Williams beat her younger sibling 7-5, 6-4.

While the winning of her fifth Wimbledon title may have lacked the passion and despair of a non-sibling match, the two Americans tried to make up for it with muscle and fury. There were always going to be sonic booms from the two hardest hitters in the game and when Venus delivered her 129mph serve to equal the hardest ever by a woman and break the Wimbledon mark of 127 mph she had set earlier in the week, few in the muted crowd looked surprised.

The spectacle showed that even with a soaring standard of tennis, which the two undoubtedly produced, there is nothing to equal the ferocity of naked and uncompromising competition. On Saturday, although the tennis was of a level to better anyone else in the world, the two appeared to withdraw emotionally.

There was little expression or fist-pumping, none of the aggression that can occasionally border on hostility, and only a few primal screams, the normal stock in trade of the two, who between them have amassed 15 Grand Slams. What the match lacked was the very essence of what makes sport compelling, and when in the first set Serena surrendered a point and a game, even though the umpire asked for the ball to be replayed, we knew we were watching a contest much different from the norm.

Afterwards Serena was asked what happened on the let call. "I don't know," said the eight-times Grand Slam winner. She was asked again whether the ball was in or out. "I don't know," she replied. She was further pushed to tell what the umpire said when she had a discussion with him. "Yeah, I forgot about the match, pretty much," she said.

That exchange came at 4-4 in the first set with Venus on serve. During the rally Serena hit a backhand that appeared to be travelling too long. "Noooooooo," she said in exasperation as Venus clipped the ball into the net. Umpire, Carlos Ramos called "let" as Venus had been distracted. But Serena walked to the chair and sat down to concede. It was a sporting gesture but few believed it would have been handed out to anyone but Venus.

The 26-year-old Serena came into the match with the better head-to-head record, but only by 8-7. When, however, she sped to a 4-2 lead after breaking the Venus serve in the first game it looked likely that would increase.

In the ninth game the big-hitting match had begun to shift and momentum swung to Venus. Breaking serve, holding twice despite the wind that confused her ball toss and breaking serve again in the 12th game for 7-5, the elder player went in front.

The figures showed Serena was serving more aces, hitting more winners but Venus played the bigger points better. Serena earned 13 break points and converted a miserly two, Venus made good use of four from seven.

Two service breaks in the second set finally clinched the match as Venus took the second of two championship points. Serena saved the first with an ace before an unforced backhand error fell wide of the tramlines for 6-4.

"Yeah, my body (serve) is my favourite. You can't defend it, especially if I'm hitting it with a lot of pace," said Venus. "So even if my opponent knows where it's going, if it's on line, close to 100 mph, it's tough to return. The serve has been key for me here. I felt any time I needed it, it was pulling me out of a bind."

Afterwards it was a case of the little sister looking like a beaten docket and sulking and the big sister trying to soften the blow as best she could. Venus was effusive, Serena curt and uninformative. "You don't look that happy", she was told before going out later to win the doubles final with her sister.

"I don't? I wonder why?" she said before going off to do what only they can.

WOMEN: Singles: (7) V Williams (USA) bt (6) S Williams (USA) 7-5 6-4

Doubles: (11) V and S Williams bt (16) S Stosur (Aus) and L Raymond (USA) 6-2 6-2.

MEN: Singles: (2) R Nadal (Spn) bt (1) R Federer (Sui) 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5/7) 6-7 (8/10) 9-7.

Doubles: (2) D Nestor (Can) and N Zimonjic (Ser) bt (8) J Bjorkman (Swe) and K Ullyett (Zim) 7-6(14-12) 6-7(3-7) 6-3 6-3.

Over 35 Doubles: D Johnson (USA) and J Palmer (USA) bt J Eltingh (Ned) and P Haarhuis (Ned) w/o

Mixed Doubles: B Bryan (USA) and S Stosur (Aus) bt (1) M Bryan (USA) and K Srebotnik (Slo) 7-5 6-4

Girls Singles: L Robson (Bri) bt (3) N Lertcheewakarn (Tha) 6-3 3-6 6-1