LONDON (AP) — Nadomina ni Angelique Kerber si Serena Williams sa straigbht set para makamit ang unang titulo sa women’s single sa All England Club nitong Sabado (Linggo sa Manila).
Ginapi ni Kerber ang American multi-titled, 6-3, 6-3.
“I knew that I had to play my best tennis against a champion like Serena,” pahayag ni Kerber, unang German woman na nagwagi ng Wimbledon mula nang magkampeon si Steffi Graff noong 1996.
Napigilan niua ang pagtatangka ni Williams [ara sa ikawalong Wimbledon ay ika-24 na Grand Slam title na papanyau sana sa record ni Margaret Court.
Nagsilang ng kanyang panganay si Williams may 10½ buwan ang nakalilipas at sumailalimsa gamutan bunsod ng blood clots. Ito ang ikaapat na tournament na nilahukan sa kanyang pagbabalik.
“To all the moms out there, I was playing for you today — and I tried,” pahayag ng 36-anyos American.
“Angelique played really well,” aniya. “She played out of her mind.”
Isang paghihiganti rina ng kaganapa. Nabigo ang 30-anyos na German kay Williams sa 2016 Wimbledon final. Ginapi naman niya si Williams sa Australian Open sa nakalipas na taon at naipanalo ang U.S. Open to briefly replace her at No. 1 in the rankings.
“It was such an amazing tournament for me. I was really happy to get this far,” Williams said. “It’s obviously disappointing, but I can’t be disappointed. I have so much to look forward to. I’m literally just getting started.”
