Serena Williams annihilated Maria Sharapova to win the women’s tennis singles gold medal here at the All England Club yesterday.
When it was over, Williams, who owns 14 major championships as a professional and has earned more prize money than any other female player danced like a 6-year-old in
joyous celebration. She beamed during the medal ceremony like this was the first title she’d ever won.
Throughout these Games she said that winning a gold was a lifelong dream that she didn’t want to take lightly.
She certainly didn’t here in the final.
Using a powerful game that cut through at times windy conditions, Williams crushed her Russian opponent 6-0, 6-1 in a match that took just 1:03 and was clearly over
from the start. Williams lost just 14 points over the match’s first nine games, all of which she won. She routinely blasted aces past Sharapova who was rendered into a
weakling against Williams.
When Sharapova managed to capture her first game, the crowd at Wimbeldon let out a large cheer and she actually pumped her fist in celebration.
Williams, 30, who grew up in Los Angeles, has won five major professional titles here at Wimbeldon, the last coming just a few weeks ago. However, she particularly
craved an Olympic gold – one of the few things missing from an impressive resume which includes championships in all four majors and nearly $40 million in prize money.
She also said she grew up watching the Games and dreaming of hearing “The Star Spangled Banner” from the top of a podium.
It wasn’t until recently that professional players were allowed to compete in the Games, making her dream unlikely.
When it finally came, Serena on top of her game, in a familiar venue, with gold at her finger tips, she was absolutely dominant.
Serena will look for a second gold later this weekend playing women’s doubles with her sister, Venus.
-With The Daily Star input