Angelique Kerber had to play a perfect match in Saturday’s women’s final to even have a chance to win this Wimbledon. She came close to perfection, but still lost. Serena Williams didn’t totally dominate the way she has in many of her championship moments.
Kerber wouldn’t let it happen that easily, but Williams did play one of her most complete matches in some time. And if you’re Serena Williams, that’s usually good enough to get the job done as it was against Kerber. Kerber had the misfortune of twice committing back-to-back errors while serving. Both times, the results were fatal for the German in Williams’ 7-5, 6-3 conquest of Kerber that gave Serena her Steffi Graf-tying 22nd Grand Slam title.
SERENA’S SERVE WAS TOO DOMINANT FOR KERBER
Williams’ serve was just too powerful and too consistent on this day to give Kerber a real chance at winning. Kerber gave a mighty effort, but the blonde left-hander never really found an answer for Serena’s big serves down the middle and into the outside corners.
From the service line, Serena was almost as dominant as ever.
Serena may have been out-moved a few times by the fleet Kerber, but Williams always had another knockout punch when she was serving.
Williams was in top form and shape this time. She never struggled. She never lost focus the way she has several times since leaving Wimbledon a year earlier with a calendar Grand Slam dream still intact.
KERBER WOULD NOT SURENDER WITHOUT A FIGHT
Although Serena was superb this time, Kerber outplayed her from the baseline. If she could only get past Serena’s big serve or lightning-quick service returns, Kerber’s chances at winning the game were no worse than 50-50.
Williams had to play well to derail Kerber’s hopes of a second Grand Slam title, and she did.
Kerber gave it her best shot. She likely would have won against anyone else.
DOWNFALL IN THE FACE OF A POSSIBLE TIEBREAKER
When Serena held service for the 27th straight time to take a 6-5 lead in the first set, the best Kerber could hope for was a tiebreaker to save the set. She had to hold service first.
One go-for-broke misfire down the line and another error put the German in a 15-40 hole. She fought off one of the two set points with a forehand winner.
But as she has done so often throughout her magical career, Serena didn’t let her opponent off the hook. She hit another line cross-court to take a set lead.
TWO FINAL ERRORS SEALED KERBER’S FATE
Kerber’s downfall came a little earlier in the second set, even after serving with a 40-15 advantage in the eighth game. Kerber appeared to be headed for a 4-4 deadlock, but she didn’t win another point in the match as Williams asserted her dominance to pull even at deuce and Kerber responded with a long backhand and a loose backhand service return.
After being denied a 22nd Grand Slam title three straight times, Serena was ready this time to reserve her place in history. Her serve became even more unreturnable in the ninth game as she closed out the match in Serena Style.
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James Beck is the long-time tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspaper. He can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com
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