FROM DEATH’S DOOR TO HEAVEN ON EARTH

IT was the end of a long and painful journey, one made with exhausting commitment and lasting 17 demanding months.

From a hospital bed where she was close to death last year, Serena Williams yesterday reached the pinnacle of her fight back to fitness by becoming Wimbledon champion for the fifth time.

Serena, 30, never thought she would play again after being rushed into casualty suffering from a pulmonary embolism, a thrombosis that is life threatening.

Somehow she survived, somehow she managed to dedicate her fitness when holding the Venus Rosewater Dish.

She said: “As I lay in my hospital bed I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever be back here and that’s what makes it all the sweeter.

“I just cannot describe the joy I feel, the exultation of what I have achieved with the help of my family.”

That’s when the tears began to flow from a woman, now 30, who had defied illness, passing years and the advance of women’s tennis, to win her 14th Grand Slam title.

Her father Richard, who she passionately hugged after clambering up into the players box, added: “She nearly died last year. We so nearly lost her. That is why her comeback has been so significant.”

So Serena has won the title five times now to equal the number won by sister Venus. She added: “I have always wanted everything that Venus had. She, along with my other sisters, were always there for me around the hospital bed.”

And they were there courtside for her again yesterday as Serena’s form suddenly dipped after winning the first set in just 35 minutes. But, as always with Serena, it is her power game that is so dangerous.

The most savage server in the women’s game detonated another 17 aces to chalk up a total of 102, a record for the Championships.

Her most impressive display of hitting came after the slimline Polish girl had taken the second set and moved into a 2-1 lead in the third.

It was time for Serena to stand up and be counted. This she did, had trouble breathing but admitted afterwards: “This has been the best two weeks of my life. I tried my best but it was not to be.”

But Serena had still needed to dig deep to stay in control of the confrontation.

Ahead by a set and 4-2, she suddenly became hesitant, almost fighting herself as well as the ground strokes and fine rallying that Radwanska was able to produce.

Compared to Serena’s bullying service, Radwanska’s was a sitting duck, and it was not until after a 30-minute rain delay that she got back into the contest.

The time in the locker room gave her fresh wind, and a chance to talk tactics. Suddenly she lost the look of a defeated player to take on a new confidence.

It saw her break for the first time to level at 4-4, hold to love, then break again for the set.

But that’s when Serena suddenly remembered how far she had come, just what the purpose was of her self-denial and total commitment.

She raised that big game one more level on the back of the greatest service in women’s tennis.

It got her home and landed the Championship she covets more than any other.