Simona Halep won her first Wimbledon title and crushed Serena Williams’ latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam success with a devastating 56-minute display of athleticism.
The Romanian won 6-2 6-2 in front of an incredulous Centre Court, running after everything the American threw at her.
“It was my best match,” says the 27-year-old to the BBC after her second Grand Slam title following her 2018 French Open success.
For 37-year-old Williams, it was a third major final defeat in 12 months.
“She played out of her mind, it was a little bit deer in the headlights for me,” Serena says.
Halep’s level never dropped in an almost perfect display in which she made just three unforced errors to Williams’ 26.
“I knew that I have to be aggressive, be 100% for every ball, and that I don’t have to let her come back into the match because she’s so powerful and so strong,” Halep says. “She knows how to manage every moment. So I knew that I have to stay there, which I did pretty well today.”
The defeat means Williams’ wait for a first Grand Slam title since becoming a mum continues, as does her pursuit of an eighth Wimbledon singles title.
“I definitely knew that she was just playing her heart out,” the American said. “I felt like, OK, what do I need to do to get to that level?
“When someone plays lights out, there’s really not much you can do. You just have to understand that that was their day today.”
Join readers who get our weekly entertainment recap — the stories worth your time, delivered every Friday.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy.
