The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesAugust 8-24 2008
LONDON, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-third seeded Venus Williams beat French surprise Marion Batoli 6-4, 6-1 for her fourth Wimbledon title on Saturday, becoming the lowest-ranked champion in the tournament's modern era.
The 27-year-old American, who slipped to 31st in the world after an injury-hit year of little activity, is the lowest-ranked Wimbledon winner since the computer ratings system was introduced in 1975.
Williams's sixth Grand Slam tennis title, and first in two years, moves her within two of Serena's tally.
"Obviously I feel fantastic. My sixth slam, I want some more. My main goal is definitely to stay fit. I worked hard. There's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes," said Williams, who began the year from ranked 48th and missed the Australian Open with a wrist injury.
"It's been a process, a step by step of getting healthier and stronger, just being able to get physically back to where I was. In the beginning of the year, I wasn't strong enough to do that."
She also collected 700,000 pounds for her one hour and 30 minutes victory, the first year of equal pay for men and women at the All England Club.
In the men's singles semifinals, Roger Federer of Switzerland downed Richard Gasquet of France 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 while Rafael Nadal was leading Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-1, 4-1 when the fourth-seeded Serb retired injured.
Federer and the Spanish second seed will rekindle their rivalryon Centre Court Sunday. The Swiss top seed beat Nadal in four sets last year to clinch his fourth straight title.
Federer, seeking to emulate Bjorn Borg's feat of winning five straight Wimbledon titles, will appear in the 13th Grand Slam final of his career. His only defeats have been against Nadal in the last two French Opens.
"(Matching Borg) would be an incredible, awesome feeling," said the reigning champion, "he's a living legend. I hope I can do the job tomorrow."
Bartoli, 22, produced the biggest upset of the tournament by rallying from a set and a break down to beat top seed Justine Henin in Friday's semifinal but was unable to repeat her upset miracle facing Williams's longer reach and speed around the court.
"Venus is definitely the world No. 1 on grass," said Bartoli, who had never reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam.
"Tomorrow I won't be that disappointed, because I will realize what I achieved, which is already awesome. But right now, because I want it so bad, yes, of course, I'm disappointed."
Williams raced into a 3-0 lead and had a break point for 4-0 before Bartoli rallied to level the match at 3-3.
The next three games went with serve but, in a crucial tenth, Bartoli's fifth double-fault of the match presented Williams with two set points. The French woman was able to fight off only one of them before Williams stroked away a sweet backhand volley.
The second set followed a similar course with Williams going 3-0 up, at which both sought help from their trainers. Bartoli hadher left foot taped and Williams asked for treatment on her thigh,leading to a stoppage in all of 11 minutes.
Bartoli held her serve on the resumption but that was effectively the end of her resistance. Williams sailed through the next three games, ending with a thunderous serve.
