Williams is Mug-ged going for number six
THERE was to be no fairytale for Wimbledon Queen Venus Williams as she was destroyed by Garbine Muguruza.
The 37- year- old, looking to become the oldest winner since 1908, capitulated in a 6-0 second set that lasted only 26 minutes – the first time she’s ever lost a Wimbledon set to love.
Take nothing away from the power play of the 23- year- old Spaniard, but there are few sights sadder than a legend being humiliated, and that’s what happened to Venus.
The 14-year age gap looked more a chasm as Muguruza ruthlessly punished the American, who was looking to win her sixth Wimbledon title 17 years after winning her first.
You have to wonder after this whether she will ever grace another final here.
Since her last win in 2008, she has recovered from Sjogren’s syndrome, an illness that causes fatigue and joint pain, and her ranking plummeted to 103.
Asked if she would be back next year, she said: “Presumably, yes. I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing right now.
“It took a lot of effort to get where I got here, and this is where I want to be in every single major.
“I’ve been in position to contend for big titles. It’s about getting over the line. I want to win, not just get to a final, and I believe I can do that.”
Muguruza herself had dropped down the rankings after struggling to sustain the form she showed to win last year’s French Open which followed a Wimbledon final defeat by Venus’ sister, Serena, in 2015.
“I didn’t want to lose this time because I know the difference!” she said.
“It was amazing to see my name on the honours board because I always look at that wall when I play here.
“I didn’t used to like grass. I hadn’t played on it until being aWimbledon qualifier at 17 or 18.
“It took me a while to adapt, but after my first final here I told myself to stop complaining. My game suits this surface.
“It’s very hard to find a recipe for good tennis, fitness-wise and mentally, and in this tournament I put it all together.
“I was expecting to face the best of Venus and I knew she’d make me fight for it.
“She’s a role model and I’m surprised how hungry she is to keep winning. I probably won’t be like that at her age.”
Williams had few chances but the biggest came in the tenth game of the first set, when she was 5- 4 and 40- 15 up on the Mugurza serve.
But the Spaniard showed no nerves to win four consecutive points to bring it back to 5-5.
It proved the pivotal game because the
younger woman was never in trouble again.
She broke Venus’s serve in the next game and served out the first set at 7-5.
Muguruza broke again in the first game of the second set, held for 2-0 and broke once more to give herself clear daylight.
A sensational cross-court pass ensured she didn’t squander her advantage in the next game.
When Venus lost her next service game without scoring a point you got the impression she couldn’t get off Centre Court quickly enough.
Maguruza cruised to three Championship points in game number six and to her credit Venus saved two.
But then the Spaniard challenged the point that would have brought the game back to deuce, Hawkeye agreed with her and Muguruza sank to her knees.