The women’s final followed on Centre Court, and if the play didn’t always sparkle in the fading light — Williams double-faulted 10 times, Davenport five — it was riveting.

There were gasps in the stands when the normally unflappable Davenport railed at the chair umpire over a clearly incorrect call. And murmurs when Davenport left to get medical attention for her lower back (she didn’t blame it for the loss).

The tennis was most enthralling in the longest third set, by games, in a Wimbledon women’s final since 1949.

Trailing 5-4, Williams double-faulted at 30-all to put Davenport within a single point of her fourth major title. But Williams smacked a gutsy backhand to stay in it, the sort of perfect shot she hit repeatedly in the semifinals against defending champion Maria Sharapova.

“That’s what it’s all about: stepping up on the big points,” said Williams, one of six women to divvy up the past six Slam titles.

Another chance for Davenport came at 7-6, with Williams serving. Two Williams errors made it 15-30, and the next point was that 25-stroke masterpiece, both players hitting hard shots until Williams came through. It was one of her 49 winners, 19 more than Davenport.

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“Whenever I felt like I was just about to shut the door completely,” Davenport said, “it was like, ‘Oops, let’s open that back up.”’

Williams broke for an 8-7 lead, then served it out. After Williams wasted her first match point with a double-fault, Davenport missed a forehand.

A moment later, Williams extended her arm across the net. But Davenport knew more than a handshake was called for, and they hugged. Soon, Williams was hopping and laughing on her favorite patch of grass.

“Finally, I made it happen. I was able just to last a little bit longer than her,” Williams said. “I was just so excited. You could see that.”

Mike Hewitt / Getty Images Lindsay Davenport returns a shot to  Venus Williams during Saturday's final of Wimbledon.

Just participating in the match was a rush for Davenport, who considered retiring at the end of 2004. Since then, she’s reached two major finals — losing to Serena Williams at the Australian Open — and returned to No. 1.

“I’m playing better now than I have in years,” said Davenport, 0-4 in major finals since winning the 2000 Australian Open. “I don’t really feel like I have anything to really hang my head for or be ashamed of.”

She was also on the losing end when Venus Williams won her first Slam title, at Wimbledon in 2000.

It’s been a long journey to No. 5. Did Venus ever doubt it would come?

“Oh, no,” she said. “I knew my destiny was to be in the winner’s circle. There were times along the way where I didn’t make it there. But I felt my destiny was definitely to win big titles, win lots of titles.”

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