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Venus tops Serena to win fifth Wimbledon title

In one of their better matches, older Williams sister prevails for 7th major

Image: Venus WilliamsAdrian Dennis / AFP/Getty Images
Venus Williams defeated sister Serena 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday to capture the  Wimbledon title without dropping a single set throughout the tournament.

The same could be said by Serena.

No other top woman consistently serves as powerfully as the sisters do, and Venus broke her Wimbledon record with a 129 mph delivery Saturday. Repeatedly, precisely the way she’s done all tournament, Venus pounded serves directly at Serena’s body.

“I’m glad she did it,” Serena said, “because next time, I know what to expect.”

No other top woman consistently pounds groundstrokes the way the sisters do, either, and they produced fantastic points, even if a swirling wind played havoc with some shots and led Venus to catch her service toss countless times.

Neither held back, and the tone was set in the third game, when Venus came to the net, and Serena sent a stinging passing attempt right at her sister’s face. Venus managed to hit a reflex volley winner.

Then again, at 4-4 in the opening set, Serena conceded a point to Venus after the chair umpire called a let when Serena shouted “No!” as she hit a shot she thought was headed out.

Serena, who still leads Venus 8-7 in major titles, actually compiled more aces, 9-4, more total winners, 32-27, and fewer unforced errors, 11-13. But there was one key difference that tilted the other way: Venus was 4-for-7 converting break points, while Serena was 2-for-13.

One of those two conversions came early in the second set, when Serena wasted six break chances before converting the seventh as Venus slipped on the worn baseline at the end of a 10-stroke exchange.

That break put Serena ahead 2-1, but she failed to hold in the very next game, when a deep forehand by Venus forced an error to make it 2-2.

They stayed on serve until Venus was ahead 5-4, and she broke there to end it. On the first match point, her sister swatted a 100 mph ace — “classic Serena Williams,” as Venus put it.

But on the next point, Serena sailed a backhand wide. When they met beside the net, the sisters wrapped their arms around each other. The embrace after their doubles victory appeared far warmer.

Now both were champions.

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© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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