Tennis: Venus shines after epic win

LONDON - Venus recovered her glow at Wimbledon yesterday.

The older of the two Williams sisters radiated happiness after her record two-hour 45-minute 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 victory over compatriot Lindsay Davenport secured a third Wimbledon title.

The win ended the 25-year-old's streak of five successive defeats in Grand Slam finals, all by younger sister Serena, but the former world No 1 said she had never doubted herself.

"I knew my destiny was to be in the winner's circle," said Venus, sporting a glittering salmon pink dress and gold loop earrings at her post-match news conference.

"There were times along the way when I didn't make it there. But I felt my destiny was definitely to win big titles, win lots of titles."

Venus' last Grand Slam win was at the 2001 US Open and at Wimbledon she was seeded only 14, becoming the lowest seed to win the women's singles.

A month ago she was embarrassed by 15-year-old Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva in the third round of the French Open, having lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open at the start of the year.

Yesterday, however, she became the first women's singles champion at Wimbledon to win having been a match point down since Helen Wills Moody in 1935. It was the longest women's final on record.

"For sure, it has special meaning," said Venus, who also beat Davenport to win her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2000.

"I was the 14th seed. I wasn't supposed to win. But I always bet on myself. I really didn't feel like I was able to play my best. I didn't feel like I was able to get to that form I was in in the semifinals or the quarter-finals. But I just had to work with what I had today.

"I just spent so much time behind that the only time I think I was in front was when I won the match."

Venus said the spirit she showed was something she had learned from Serena, who lost in the third round this year.

"I always was trying to fight like her," said the older sibling who revealed she had received a congratulatory text from her sister.

"She's such a fighter. I remember she played this match in Sydney ages ago.

"I think she was playing Lindsay. She was so far down really. She should have lost. But she just kept fighting. After that, I always wanted to be like her."

Venus celebrated her victory by bunny-hopping in delight on Centre Court and she admitted: "I just was so excited.

"I can't help myself. When I get excited, I just show it all. The whole match, it was so tough. I was able just to last a little bit longer than her. It was just great.

"I was just so excited. You could see that."

Venus' win brought her a winner's cheque of £600,000 ($1.55 million) and she will now attempt to repeat her 2000 and 2001 feat of adding the US Open crown to her Wimbledon title.

Despite that the American, whose outside interests include interior and fashion design, and music production, is adamant she will continue to keep tennis in perspective.

"Tennis is what I do," she said. "It's all-consuming. But at the same time I have to realise this is just one part of my life, this is only one stage of my life, and I'll move on from this one day."

- REUTERS