Garbiñe Muguruza banishes nerves to write her name in Wimbledon gold | Sean Ingle


When the Spaniard found her rhythm against Venus Williams she raced away to add her name to the champions’ board that has been inspiring her

Throughout this Wimbledon Garbiñe Muguruza has paused at the Centre Court honours board, immersing herself in the legendary names of the past before willing herself to join them. On Saturday afternoon she got her chance – and, with a performance of stunning clarity and brutal unsentimentality, she took it. Now, following her 7-5, 6-0 victory over the five-times champion Venus Williams, her name, too, is etched in gold.

The 23-year-old Spaniard’s talent has never been in question but she has always blown hotter and colder than most. This fortnight, however, those tennis winds must have come from the Sahara. Throughout the tournament she dropped only one set, and had her serve broken just four times. It was quite a transformation given she had lost in the early rounds at Birmingham and Eastbourne last month.

Related: Garbiñe Muguruza crowned Wimbledon champion after beating Venus Williams

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