Wimbledon Ladies Single’s Champion Garbine Muguruza on Saturday said a pep talk by former champion Serena Williams during the 2015 finals helped her win this match against her sister Venus.
“Two years ago I lost in the final to Serena and she told me one day I was going to maybe win and hey, two years after here I am," she said courtside.
"I played very well since the first game, and I kept the level, which is very hard because, you're nervous... I was just very composed," she added later.
Muguruza demolished Venus, whose dreams of a fairytale victory at the age of 37 were blown apart in a devastating second set.
Like many a brutal demise, the end was messy and at times uncomfortable to watch as the Spaniard cut loose after tense early exchanges, winning nine straight games to crush the demoralised American 7-5 6-0.
It was Muguruza's second grand slam title to add to last year's French Open and was indisputably deserved after she absorbed everything her opponent could throw at her before taking control and inflicting a punishing triple break in the final set.
She was robbed of the picture-perfect conclusion and forced to wait as Hawk-eye was called on to confirm that a mis-hit forehand from Venus had landed out before her emotional celebrations could begin.
For Venus, who seemed to lack any sort of fight as the final blows were landed, it was a stinging reminder of her advancing years.
"She played really well. I mean, she played top tennis, so I have to give her credit for just playing a better match," Williams said.
"I've had a great two weeks. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer," she added.
Later the American was asked how to explain the huge difference in the levels of her play in the first and second sets.
"There's errors and you can't make them. You can't make them. I went for some big shots and they didn't land. Probably have to make less errors," she said.
But was tiredness also a factor?
"I think she played amazing. She played amazing."
Williams offered little in the way of comment or explanation for her defeat in her short answers but did say her run to the final, which included a semi-final win over Britain's Johanna Konta, had taken a lot of effort.
"Every tournament is different. Every tournament's different. This is most certainly a very different tournament," she said.
"It took a lot of effort and what-have-you to get right here today. So this is where I want to be every single major," she said.
MEEK SURRENDER
While it ended in a meek surrender, the first women's final played under the Centre Court roof had begun as a tense duel between two of the game's most powerful hitters, with a high-quality first set gradually building towards a captivating conclusion.
It included several tests of nerve for Muguruza, who showed an almost iron will not to give an inch even as Venus upped the aggression levels with ferocious intent.
Muguruza saved three break points, which included two tension-filled set points in the 10th game, the first of which saw the Spaniard emerge with a clenched fist from an epic 19-shot rally.
It was then her turn to go on the offensive. She crafted her third break point of the set when Venus netted a forehand and took her chance when the American sent a second forehand long after another lengthy exchange.
There were few clues in those opening games as to what was about to follow as having wrapped up the first set, Muguruza put her foot to the floor with astonishing brutality.
She broke on three straight occasions in the second set as Venus seemed to hit a mental and physical wall.
When the five-times winner could barely get her racket to a vicious forehand, it gave the Spaniard three match points, but in keeping with a messy second set, she needed two Hawk-eye challenges to put the beleaguered American out of her misery.
As the scoreboard showed the ball had bounced out at 40-30, she dropped her racket and fell to the ground, before covering her face in celebration.
After being handed the famous Rosewater Dish, Muguruza was asked if she had a message for her coach Sam Sumyk, who is absent as his wife is expecting a baby.
She held the gleaming plate aloft and said: "Here it is."
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