Serena Williams Joins Tennis History

Written by: Staff on 4th August 2012

Serena Williams Joins Tennis History

epa03341015 Serena Williams of the USA poses with her gold medal after winning the final against Maria Sharapova of Russia 6-0; 6-1 at the London 2012 Olympic Games Tennis competition in Wimbledon, Greater London, Britain, 04 August 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Serena Williams has joined Steffi Graf as the second Golden Girl in tennis after winning the top Olympic medal to write another page in history. Williams, who won her fifth Wimbledon a month ago, crushed former No. 1 Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1.

No. 4 Williams mimics Graf by winning all four Grand Slams plus Olympic gold in a single career. She finished off Sharapova with her ninth and tenth aces of a quick 63-minute afternoon at Wimbledon as the women’s singles event concluded.

“I have a gold medal in singles, oh my gosh,” said the stunned American. “I got the gold. I’m just so happy. I don’t know what to do. I just feel good about my game. I’ve practiced so hard. It was time.”

The Games honor at London 2012 sealed the comeback of the 30-year-old Williams, who missed nearly a year between 2010-11 with various injuries and a blood clot problem in her lungs.

“I’ve never played better,” said the winner, who left Russian Sharapova to pick up the silver medal. “She won the French Open, she never loses this year. She’s playing the finals of everything so I knew it was going to be tough.”

Williams will take a break before the US Open starting in three weeks after winning 34 of her last 35 matches.

Graf completed her Golden Slam in 1988 at the Seoul Olympics. Now Williams has joined that elite club. “I never expected gold in singles. I was so happy with my doubles golds. I thought if my career’s over I have my gold medal, now I have everything, literally. I have everything there is to win in tennis. Where do I go from here?”

Sharapova’s loss left her without the Golden Slam after also winning all four majors. “There are always things you think you could have done better, but my opponent just played too well today; she was too quick and too powerful. She wasn’t making many mistakes either.

“A silver medal means a lot to me, though. It’s always disappointing to lose in the final but it’s great to get a medal in my first Olympic Games. For sure I’ll be trying again in Rio . I want that gold medal!”

World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka lifted bronze to give Belarus its first Olympic honor as she beat Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-4.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: American tennis news, British tennis news, London Olympics, Maria Sharapova, Olympic tennis news, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Tennis History, Victoria Azarenka, Wimbledon