Wimbledon 2018 women's final: Recapping Angelique Kerber's victory over Serena Williams

Kenan Goyette

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Wimbledon 2018 women's final: Recapping Angelique Kerber's victory over Serena Williams image

The women's final at Wimbledon was delayed a few hours but Angelique Kerber made quick work of Serena Williams to claim her first career title on the grass courts of the All England Club.

Kerber dominated from the first game breaking Williams three times in the first set to win it 6-3. In the second set, she kept the momentum rolling to break Williams again and held strong to take down the seven-time Wimbledon champion 6-3 and exact revenge for the 2016 result at the grass court Slam. The match took just 65 minutes to complete.

TENNIS: Results and schedule from Wimbledon 2018

Kerber's exceptionally clean and defensive play was on display in this one. She amassed just five unforced errors in the match compared to Williams' 24 and won on 69-percent of her first serves. Kerber's ground stroke game and athleticism was also a strength today as she was able to chase down many of Williams' big shots and deliver powerful strikes of her own for clean winners.

The now three-time Grand Slam champion is just a French Open away from completing the career Grand Slam.

For Williams, it's a disappointing end to what was an incredible showing in just her fourth tournament back after giving birth to her daughter. She figures to climb in the rankings after this outing though and should be a major player in the upcoming Slams.

Below is a recap and highlights from Kerber's big win over Williams.

Wimbledon 2018 women's final: Recap, highlights

Score: Kerber def. Williams, 6-3, 6-3

(All times Eastern)

SECOND SET

12:50 — Interviews from the first-time Wimbledon champ and the gracious runner-up:

12:23 — Wimbledon has a brand new champion. 

12:21 — Some terrific rallies and Kerber ends the last with a beauty of a forehand down the line to get match point. Then she converts and claims her first Wimbledon crown.

12:18 — Serena holds behind two aces and gets it to 5-3. But Kerber will serve for the win.

12:15 — And Kerber holds quickly on the next service game. She's now one game away from her first Wimbledon title.

12:12 — Some exceptional defense from Kerber and some terrific passing shots gets her two break points on Serena and she converts to go up a break at 4-2. Serena in trouble now.

12:06 — Kerber goes up 40-0 on her serve but Serena battles back to get it to deuce before Kerber wins on the next two points.

12:02 — Serena holds there for 2-2. She's looking better than early on but still struggling a bit to find some rhythm. Choosing to rush the net quite a bit here and so far 10/20 for net points won.

11:57 — A tight game there but Kerber eventually holds at 40-30. Several nice rallies and a bit of tension too when Serena ripped a swinging volley that just missed hitting Kerber.

11:55 —  A bit of trouble early but Serena powers her way to a hold. Beauty of a backhand volley to get it to 40-30 for Serena in that one.

11:51 — Kerber playing some terrific defense and picking her spots well. Feeling it now and holds to open the second set

FIRST SET

11:48 —  First set goes to Kerber. A pair of untimely double faults gives Kerber set point and a 14th unforced error for Serena gives Kerber the break and set.

11:43 — Kerber holds again, has Serena looking a bit frustrated out there. 

11:39 — Serena goes down 0-40 on two double faults but gets it back to 30-40. Then hits her 10th unforced error of the match to give Kerber the break.

11:35 — Kerber holds. Terrific ground strokes in that one including a beauty of a forehand winner down the line.

11:31 — Serena's serve is on today. She's so far knocked in 88-percent of first serves and finishes that game off with an ace down the middle. Serena up 3-2.

11:29 — We've got a Tiger sighting at Wimbledon.

11:28 — That slow start has been shaken off. Serena gets it to 0-40 on Kerber's serve and breaks her on the next point. Back on serve and she's feeling it now.

11:25 — Serena is on the board with a hold to make it 2-1, Kerber's lead.

11:22 — Kerber backs up the break and goes up 2-0 on Serena. The German looking very sharp to start this one, but not uncharacteristic in this tournament of Serena to start a tad slow.

11:19 — Kicking it off with a break. Kerber rattles off four straight poins after going down 0-30 to take the first game on Serena. 

11:16 — And they're off! Serena serving to Kerber to start it out.

11:14 — Something to keep in mind? Serena's sister Venus is the only player to beat her twice in a Grand Slam final (she did it at the 2001 U.S. Open and Wimbledon in 2008). Can Kerber pull it off today?

11:08 — They're on the court. Kerber calls heads, gets it and she chooses to receive first. Warm-ups now and then they'll get it going.

11:00 — Some fairly high profile spectators in attendance today at the All England Club.

10:56 — Let's bring on the women's final. Serena and Kerber will be up shortly. Time for some primetime, roof-open, finals tennis at SW19.

Men's semifinal: Djokovic defeats Nadal

10:32 — The Djoker prevails in this five-set, two-day semifinal match with a win over Nadal. Terrific playing from two legends of the court.

10:31 — Djokovic gets to a 0-40 lead on Nadal's serve. He'll have THREE match points. This could be it.

10:28 — A quick hold for Djokovic there and he's up 9-8.

10:24 — And then he holds two points later and we're up to 8-8. 

10:23 — Djokovic gets it to match point at 30-40 on Nadal's serve but Rafa hits an epic dropshot down the line to get it to deuce. 

10:14 — It goes to five deuces but Djokovic finally holds and is up 8-7. 

10:08 — This match is officially the second longest semifinal in Wimbledon history, just behind yesterday's Anderson-Isner epic.

10:07 — Two break chances for Rafa as Djokovic double faults to go down 15-40.

10:04 — No pressure for Nadal. Rattles off a few nice serves and holds at 7-7. And Djokovic is yelling ... a lot.

10:02 — Djokovic held serve for a 7-6 lead in the fifth and is up 30-15 on Nadal's serve.

10:00 a.m. — The men's semi pushed back the women's final and, you guessed it, they're going into an extended fifth set.

Kenan Goyette