Wimbledon: Venus Williams outlasts Davenport in final

WIMBLEDON, England — Two fine comeback tales collided on the most celebrated court in tennis yesterday, and Venus Williams, not Lindsay Davenport, was the big-hitting American veteran who experienced the thrill of a happy ending after the longest women's final in the history of a tournament that has more history than any other.

Williams' 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 9-7 victory over the top-seeded Davenport gave her a third Wimbledon singles title, but only after she had saved a match point on her serve in the 10th game of the final set and played a great deal more courageous tennis in the points and games that followed to put an end to her nearly four-year drought in major tournaments.

Williams' last singles title at a Grand Slam tournament came at the U.S. Open in 2001, but at that stage of her career she was the world's dominant player. This time, she arrived at Wimbledon as something of an outsider, seeded 14th.

But the 25-year-old Williams was healthy for a change and lifted her power game in a spectacular hurry. She defeated defending Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia in the semifinal round Thursday and knocked off Davenport, the world's No. 1 player, two days later.

In the epic all-American showdown for the title, Williams became the first woman to win Wimbledon after saving a match point in the final since Helen Wills Moody in a 1935 victory over Helen Jacobs. Williams is the tournament's lowest-seeded women's champion.

When it was finally over after 2 hours, 45 minutes and Williams had finished leaping on the grass with delight, she was asked to explain to the Centre Court crowd what this latest and most unexpected major title meant.

"You never know what life is going to throw at you," she said.

Williams spoke from a lifetime of sometimes exhilarating, sometimes devastating experience. Who could have imagined that she and her younger sister, Serena, would rise from learning tennis at a public park in Compton, Calif., to become two of the most successful champions in history?

Who could have imagined that Venus, the more protective sister, would be totally eclipsed by Serena on court and that both sisters would eventually be knocked off the circuit by major injuries and also have to cope with the 2003 shooting death of their half-sister, Yetunde Price?

There were other plot twists on the grass yesterday, as Venus refused to buckle under Davenport's considerable baseline pressure.

"Every time the chips were down for Venus, she played unbelievably," said the 29-year-old Davenport, who had beaten her four times in a row. "I thought I played really well. I thought I had a lot of chances, and I felt like she never allowed me to take advantage of those chances."

Davenport is 14-13 against Williams, but Williams has won all four of their matches at Wimbledon — including the 2000 final.

Davenport served for the match at 6-5 in the second set yesterday, but Williams came to the net on the opening point off a deep backhand and put away a forehand volley. She would end up breaking Davenport's serve at love to force a tiebreaker in which she jumped out to a 5-1 lead.

Davenport's biggest chance came with Williams serving at 4-5 in the final set. Williams, who struggled on occasion with her serve, hit a double fault to give Davenport a match point.

Williams put a first serve into play and then finished off a baseline rally with a clean backhand winner down the line.

Davenport would not get so close again to the major title she has been chasing with increasing urgency for more than five years. She hasn't won a Grand Slam tournament singles title since the 2000 Australian Open.

"Lindsay played so well; so many times I was just trying to stay in the match," Williams said. "I could not have asked to play a better player today to bring my level up."

After winning the Wimbledon title in 2000 and 2001, Venus lost the next two finals to Serena. Venus hadn't been past the quarterfinals at a major since the 2003 Wimbledon final.

Of yesterday's victory, Venus said, "It has special meaning. I wasn't supposed to win."

Roddick to face Federer in final

American Andy Roddick is 1-8 against top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland and has lost their last four meetings, including last year's Wimbledon men's final.

Does Roddick have something new in mind for today's rematch? "I might try to push him into a wall or something before we go out on court," No. 2 seed Roddick said with a laugh.

Yesterday Roddick completed a 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 7-6 (12-10), 7-6 (7-5) win over Sweden's Thomas Johansson in a semifinal match that started Friday and was interrupted by rain.