LONDON, 3 July 2005 — Venus Williams outlasted fellow American Lindsay Davenport 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 to win the longest Wimbledon women’s singles final in history yesterday.
Venus’ staying power proved the greater in a two-hour 45-minute endurance test against the top seed and world No. 1, whom she also beat in the 2000 final.
She saved a match point at 4-5 in the third set before eventually breaking the resolve of Davenport, who had needed treatment for a back injury, with a decisive break at 8-7.
It was Venus’ third Wimbledon title in all and her first Grand Slam triumph since the 2001 US Open, capping a remarkable return to form for the former world No. 1.
“I have to thank God for letting me be healthy,” Venus gulped as she clutched the Rosewater Dish on an overcast Centre Court.
“You never know what life is going to throw at you and each and every day I just expect the sun to come up, that’s all, these days.”
At No. 14 Venus was also the lowest seed to win the women’s title at Wimbledon. The 25-year-old also won Wimbledon in 2000 and 2001 before losing the next two finals to her sister Serena.
Davenport, the Wimbledon champion in 1999, has now failed to win a grand slam since her 2000 Australian Open triumph.
The 29-year-old took advantage of two double-faults by Venus to break her for 2-1 when the elder Williams sister blazed a backhand long and consolidated to lead 4-2 before breaking again.
Venus slipped to 15-40 and the world No. 1 slapped away a forehand volley to lead 5-2.
Davenport immediately lost serve to love but Venus could not sustain her revival and Davenport made no mistake in her next service game, taking the set with a heavy serve which Venus could only net.
It was the first set Venus, who upset defending champion Maria Sharapova in the semifinals, had lost in her run to the final.
At 4-4 in the second set Davenport was incensed when a serve from her opponent that appeared to be well wide was called in. She vented her frustration at the umpire but to no avail and Venus held to love.
Davenport was momentarily rattled and had to save a set point after double-faulting in the next game before holding for 5-5.
Venus suddenly trailed 0-40, saved one break point but slipped in the backcourt to go 6-5 down, leaving Davenport to serve for the match.
The older American faltered, however, losing serve to love as Venus went for broke and she continued in the same vein to go 5-1 up in the tiebreak before taking it 7-4 with a clubbing forehand. Davenport still started the third set looking the more confident and Venus cracked at 2-3, spraying a forehand out to lose serve.
By now, though, Davenport was suffering pain in her lower back and lost her next serve from leading 40-15 before calling the trainer for treatment. She then left the court for further attention. When she returned Davenport bravely held to go 5-4 up, leaving Venus to serve to stay in the match.
She promptly double-faulted to gift Davenport a match point but saved it with a crunching backhand winner before holding serve.
Despite her evident suffering, Davenport kept holding serve until 7-7 when Venus finally broke her compatriot’s resolve.
Serving for the match at last, Venus took victory on her second match point when Davenport netted a forehand, leaping around the court in delight.
The previous longest women’s Wimbledon final was in 1970 when Australian Margaret Court beat Billie Jean King of the United States 14-12, 11-9 in two hours 28 minutes.
Huss and Moodie Make
Wimbledon History
Stephen Huss of Australia and South Africa’s Wesley Moodie made history yesterday when they became the first qualifiers to win the Wimbledon men’s doubles title.
The duo, playing in their first tour level match as a team, took the title with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 victory over American twins, second seeds Bob and Mike Bryan.
“We played pretty solid from the first match and we took it one match at a time to see how far we would get,” said Moodie.
“Turns out we went pretty far.”
The duo will split the prize money of 220,000 pounds, which will be useful for the 29-year-old Huss whose singles ranking stands at a mediocre 807 in the world.
He admitted that with his 30th birthday approaching in December, he had considered retirement on the eve of Wimbledon.
“I have been playing Challengers for the last two years and that doesn’t inspire me. I was looking at other options and what else I could do.”
The result also condemned the Americans to their third Grand Slam final defeat this year after they were beaten by Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett in the Australian Open and Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi at the French Open.
It was also their fifth loss in a Grand Slam final against one win, which came at the 2003 French Open.
Huss and Moodie had knocked out top seeds Bjorkman and Mirnyi in the semifinals and third seeds Mark Knowles and Michael Llodra in the last eight. Those wins followed two victories in the qualifying rounds.
