Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Final: Serena Williams Wins Fourth Wimbledon Title, Thirteenth Grand Slam

In a final that lasted only 66 minutes, Serena Williams defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 for her second consecutive and fourth career Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles title.

It’s Serena’s thirteenth career grand slam singles title, moving her ahead of Billie Jean King’s 12 in the record books, a feat which Serena mentioned in her trophy ceremony remarks.

After gaining a double break, Serena Williams will now serve for her fourth Wimbledon Ladies Singles title leading 6-3, 5-2.

Zvonareva hasn’t played badly at all, really, but has simply been thoroughly outclassed throughout this brief match.

Serena Williams has gone up a double break in the second set, leading now 4-1 in a frame that has hardly been as close as that lopsided scoreline.

Serena has been dominating off the baseline, especially with her running forehand. Despite her power, Zvonareva has managed only a couple of baseline winners the entire match, a testament to Serena’s tremendous court coverage.

Vera Zvonareva dropped serve in the opening game of the second set, making several loose errors to give Serena Williams an early advantage in what could be the last set of this Ladies’ Singles tournament.

During the changeover, Zvonareva showed her first real flashes of the negative emotion she’s been known for, screaming and spiking the ball into the ground.

After earning the first break of the match in the eighth game and following it up with a hold, Serena Williams is now a set away from her fourth Wimbledon title.

Serena broke for a 5-3 lead with an extremely impressive passing shot on a running forehand. Even more impressively, she followed the shot with a relatively seamless transition into a fist-pumping pose on one knee.

There haven’t been any breaks thus far in the 2010 Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles final, which has been an incredibly well played affair through the first seven games.

Both players are hitting the ball extremely hard and toward the lines, though Serena looks to be the steadier of the two. Zvonareva has been able to stay even thus far, but she looks to be pressing a bit, playing just a little out of her comfort zone.

No. 1 Serena Williams (USA) vs. No. 21 Vera Zvonareva (RUS) -- In her third straight Wimbledon final, No. 1 Serena Williams will be vying for her second consecutive and fourth career Wimbledon singles crown, and thirteenth career grand slam singles title, which would put her one ahead of Billie Jean King. At this point in her legendary career, she’s playing against the history books more than any specific contemporary.

Vera Zvonareva, on the other hand, is playing not to move her name up the ranks, but to just get on the list.