Day 12 Highlights Today at Wimbledon

interesting relationship will stop Tracy will be with us analysing the

match, and Martina Navratilova will also be joining us. Let's CV setup

from Paddy Geary. Serena Williams arrived at Wimbledon and unsubtle

skies. Clouds of doubt hovered around the champion. Wimbledon was

the only grand slam title she held, and at first these courts brought

clarity. COMMENTATOR: The defending jumpy and is to two. But storms came

on the day of the second round. The intensity Serena prides herself on

threatened to overwhelm her. The urgency, Williams found quality.

Coming through the ambush seemed to trigger something within her, the

all-powerful certainty carried her forward. Still on track for

Wimbledon title number seven. The final came into view, she became a

ruthless. The destruction of the loan River in the semifinal and

eloquent statement of intent. And exhibition performance. Beware all

who dared to stop her winning that record equalling slam. But Angelique

Kerber has thwarted her before, beating her to the Australian Open

title in January. This conqueror of Serena has somehow travelled through

the tournament under cover. From round one where she took about Laura

Robson, Kerber has really been troubled, but also rarely be

noticed. Quietly progressing, impressing. Very solid performance

from Kerber. Even when her challenges could have her, she

hasn't let a set slip. Even when Wimbledon anticipated and all

Williams final, she interrupted, vanquishing Venus. Might this all

come down to the memory of Melbourne? Would it spark Serena's

doubts, or via a desire for revenge? CLARE BALDING: Serena has done this

a times before so she knows all about the bouquet of flowers, but

for Kerber the wait to come out for a Wimbledon final was a uncharted

territory. A prized seat on Centre Court for 15,000 people, here to

witness a classic battle or big serve and terrier retriever. The

players are merged at just past 2pm. And 11 joined them at the net for a

coin toss, representing the charity, Barnard is, now in its 150th year.

-- Barnard owes. There were no obvious signs of

nerves as both players found their range in the very first point.

APPLAUSE Clear

APPLAUSE JOHN MCENROE: We would assume the

longer the rally goes, the better chance it is for Kerber. LINDSAY

DAVENPORT: Some star power. APPLAUSE

JOHN INVERDALE: Look at the slice on that. In case you didn't reconnoitre

that was in Serena's box, that is Aion say and her husband -- Beyonce

and her husband. The beyond Soho concerts have been... Jay-Z. I was

going to say. The fiance tickets have been the most

take them earlier like Serena did. John, you said before you thought

that Patrick said they had a good idea of Kerber's strategy. There is

a noticeable difference in Serena's movement, clipped into the court to

cut angles off, get out to those short, low balls as quick as

possible. Where she is standing there, she is not going to give her

that wide serve. APPLAUSE You were talking about it in the

build-up, but it is so key for Kerber to get on the board early.

Yes, we saw that in the semis with those Nina.

Serena is a great frontrunner, particularly in the beginning of a

match. APPLAUSE

Quality in the movement there, great bit of touch by Williams as well. To

win that point. It is a first break of this final. It is going to be

interesting to see if Kerber can or will make an adjustment. Here she

comes, Chris Kirk, where she is standing, she is just waiting for

it. -- crosscourt. APPLAUSE

That is a great insight out. That is the type of adjustment Kerber has to

make. When she has just a split-second of time, she has got to

take her chances and play offensively.

That has been a problem for her throughout her career. If you double

faults. That under is the good of that brilliant winner just 30

seconds ago. Clear She has actually served 11 double

faults in the tournament so far. Just two by Serena.

Too good. We talked before the match, saying Serena should move

over towards the left, she is definitely one step towards the left

more than she normally is, but so ready for the backhand return. That

is where Kerber cannot afford to be so predictable.

A little bit unlucky for Serena Williams, lucky for Kerber, hit the

line and took a bad bounce. That had all the air of a double fault. Just

clambered onto the line at the very last moment. This is a long old

first service game for Angelique Kerber. And they really important

one too. She just reached for that, but work

is key, took a couple of smaller steps, got closer to that and she

could have had a much easier look at that backhand.

She has put it long! CLARE BALDING: A really good hold of serve from

Angelique Kerber, but she could not put enough pressure on Serena, we

rejoin with Kerber serving to take the first set into a tie-break.

Commentary from John Inverdale, Lindsay Davenport and John McEnroe.

JOHN MCENROE: That is too good, Kerber just ran out of gas. LINDSAY

DAVENPORT: She was inside the baseline the entire rally.

She cannot bank on a free point on her serve.

APPLAUSE Should that was the first point of

the game where she was able to get Serena off balance or on the run.

That is two lose points there at a really bad moment. Playing more

conservative, no unforced errors, two in a row, and absolutely key

moment for Angelique Kerber, two set points after 46 minutes for Serena

Williams. She probably wants that drop shot

back. Magnificent crosscourt from

Williams! She hasn't won the match yet, you might think she has from

that reaction, but she is halfway there.

CLARE BALDING: Serena has never lost a Grand Slam final after taking the

first set, and you can see how much it meant to her to have seized the

advantage, but Kerber was far from throwing in the towel, showing some

great retrieving early in the second set.

Great shot, that, but still Williams held firm, and the trouble was that

Williams was serving first in the second set, having broken to take

the first set. We rejoin at 3-3, Williams with the servers balls in

her hand. -- service. JOHN INVERDALE: That is Serena's

knockout blow, isn't it? JOHN MCENROE: She just keeps on

punching, throwing roundhouses. Kerber backed off about four yards

on that server. LINDSAY DAVENPORT: She is doing

everything she can to get more returns in, read the serves that.

She needs Serena to make more errors like that. Out and out extra effort

by Kerber, you have got to hand it to her, she really did not have any

business winning that point. Just made her hit that extra ball.

Error on the forehand, third double fault.

A quarter of a half of a look at this game for Kerber.

And the bigger cried there was from Kerber, actually. -- cry.

And so, for the first time, in this year's final, the crowd are telling

you. It is a break point on Serena Williams's serve.

Well, what can you say? There is nothing to say! Exactly.

There is even less to say about that! Serve of the tournament right

there. Got a little luck going her way,

hitting the lines. Another pressure error. She cannot

afford to miss those rally shots, she has to take some chances, but

because she is getting so few in her return games, she just feels this

enormous pressure in her service games.

Serena thinks she either hit the net... That was some effort! Protect

herself at all times. Even in Serena's camp, they are on their

feet as well, a wonderful point. Amazing effort by Serena, hands by

Kerber cover got to see a replay of that point. We will see that again

in a second, I'm sure. You have to hand it to Kerber, a lot

of lesser players with crumbled against this onslaught, but she is

still fighting. -- would have crumbled.

But under the weight of all that pressure, at 3-4 in the second set,

deuce on the Kerber serve, these could be the key moments.

Well, you would think that there, which gives Serena Williams break

point, might almost be much point, record book point. -- match point.

There we are, it is Serena Williams again, 14 years after the first

victory here, Grand Slam number 22, irresistible, majestic, and the

judgment of history will surely be that she was in a class of her own.

SUE BARKER: Angelique Kerber! CHEERING

First of all, I would like to say really contracts to Serena. I mean,

you really deserve the title come your next title, and you are a great

champion, a great person, and it is always an honour to play against you

in the finals. We played a great match, and really, congrats, you

deserve it, well done, Serena. APPLAUSE

Or so, I would like to say thank you to my box. Thank you so much, and I

have the best team, the best family and the best friends, so thank you

so much for your support. And we say thank you very much to you as well.

These and gentlemen, Angelique Kerber! CHEERING

Yes, it has just been great. Obviously, Angelique, you know I

love playing her. She is such a great opponent, she really brings

out great tennis in me, and then once we walk off the court she is

such a wonderful person to be around, just to smile at, so thank

you for being that great person, and thank you. APPLAUSE

Your 22nd, you have equalled the record of Steffi Graf in the open

era. CHEERING How hard has it been to not think

about that? Yes, it has been incredibly difficult not to think

about it. I had a couple of tries this year, lost to two great

opponents, one of them actually being Angelique! But it makes the

victory even sweeter to know how hard I worked for it, and thank you

guys for being out here to seen a 22. This is awesome, so I Love you

guys so much. Thank you very much. But also, your seventh here. This

must feel like home now, this court. This court definitely feels like

home, in fact I have a match later on today in doubles, so I will be

back out here at home. Yes, because Venus is up there, and with the

Olympics, you have so much to look forward to as well. I love playing

out here on Centre Court, especially with my sister who has inspired me

to be at here and be who I am, so I am just really excited. I don't know

whether to say, I am just so excited, thank you. You have

inspired many as And after having seen friends and

former players, allergy came, bouncing onto the balcony to show

off the Venus Rosewater Dish to the fans below, and it is moments like

this that are really special, when Serena realises how much victory is

matter to people, but a special hug for her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou,

who she teamed up within 2012, and she has since won nine of the Grand

Slam titles, more than 50%, an amazingly successful partnership. He

gives a belief and motivation, because she is not going to be

stopping here. Martina Navratilova has joined us, Tracy as well, how

good a performance was that? Amazing, it seemed that she

wasn't... Serena was not feeling the pressure, she had so much respect

for Angelique Kerber, she knew she had to bring her A game, she did,

and Angelique has hung on as well as anyone against Serena. She served

well, moved well, the ratio of winners to unforced errors, all

this, she was pretty unbeatable today. The serve was the big

difference, Serena, at its best, just stunning. Angie Bray is just

one break point and served an ace. -- and she faced. That is what she

is able to do with that big serve, technically so sound. She is known

for the power and the placement, but she is able to come up with the

clutch service on those moments. In super slow-mo, it is like a ballet

dancer, the grace, she lands and can move after it, it is fabulous, but

she has amazing power as well. Well, that power is generated because of

the technique on the serve, it is so amazing. Anybody who wants to play

tennis, watch the tape of Serena Williams' serve, beat Sampras,

Federer, I would watch those three, you don't need to see anything else.

-- Pete Sampras. She uses her legs so well to push up, such easy

technique, therefore it doesn't break down, not as many moving

parts. There are no pitches, just a slow explosion, she gets the

shoulder turn, the hips, everything rotates then explodes into the arm

and the snap of the rest comes last, such a nice... An escalation. It is

amazing to watch, but she also broke Kerber to take the first set, and we

saw the reaction after the first set, because she knows, when she is

ahead, nobody catches her. She said afterwards that it relaxed, to get

that set in hand, and in the 12th game Kerber made two or three

unforced errors, and it is just that little lapse of concentration, small

moments against a top player that you cannot afford to have. She put

so much pressure on you, because she holds her serve. I thought Kerber

did a good job of holding her serve, because that is what we were looking

for. The serve was a bit of a liability, particularly her second

set, but in that set she was winning more seconds serve points than

Serena. Losing her serve twice in the match, that is great, she would

have a chance, but that is how good Serena was. In that last game,

serving for the championship, it is over in a flash, three and

returnable serves, then a rally on match point, and this was her

reaction. -- unreturnable. Their collapse to the ground looks

dangerous to me! Nobody to catcher. She said she felt relief, and that

is a great moment. I love as well as when she got up with the two fingers

up in the on both sides, saying 22. All fortnight she has been talking

about how she is not focusing on 22, just winning the tournament, but

within 30 seconds, it was about the 22. For Angelique Kerber, she has

won a Grand Slam in the Australian Open, Martina, she is number two in

the world, is this the beginning of a rivalry that might last? Serena is

towards the end of her career, she might have another three or four

years, but Kerber is one of the very few people that has beaten Serena

more than once. Hopefully, they will play each other again many times,

but nice job by Kerber now, she is a clear number two for the year, she

backed up that Australian Open win by getting to the final here. Let's

hope she stays consistent. She is a great retriever, she doesn't give

up, every ball is going to come back. That is what is amazing, so

many balls back in play, and a few of the mistakes that Serena

committed were extracted because Kerber got that extra ball back in

play. It made it fun to watch, you know, Kerber is known for creating

such great angles on the run. I will say, though, when Serena was at the

net micro, she moved immediately crosscourt. So Patrick Mouratoglou

had said, this is what to do, this is how to counter her. Serena came

back out on court to play doubles with his sister, and they won the

title, we can show you the trophy presentation which took place in the

Royal box after match point, Venus serving at the far end, a

good-humoured and talented quartet. Venus and Serena winning the title

for the sixth time, and every time they have done so, one of them has

won the singles as well. His Royal Highness Biju God Kent, President of

the All-England Club, making the presentation. -- the Duke of Kent.

They have won three Olympic gold medals together. Let's hear what

they had to say after their doubles triumph.

Serena, Venus, many congratulations, can you put into words what it was

like playing out there and how much it means to win another title? It

was really special, like really awesome to be playing next to Venus,

to win Wimbledon again in doubles, we have won I don't know how many

now, but we love playing doubles, we love being here, it is great.

Watching Serena earlier was so amazing, and I was so into that,

then you have to reset yourself and say, OK, we have to try and win a

match! She brought the energy from game one, and that really brought me

up. They are amazing, and stay? The two of them have done so much for

tennis, for sport. Actually, it is fun to see how they have progressed

in doubles, because they used to be almost two singles players playing

doubles on a single score. But Serena, even in the semifinal in

doubles, she kicked it up a notch when she needed to. She didn't cross

in the beginning of their career, but like you said, it is worth

noting that all six times that they have won in doubles, they have also

won in singles. I think that is crucial, it makes them more

aggressive minded. They have both become better doubles players, and

better singles players as well. There is more strategy when they are

playing, and when you win the singles, you are so relaxed after. I

know I played my best matches after I won the singles. The pressure is

off, and you are really feeling the ball, little sister took over there.

You saw how badly she wanted to win for Venus. Quick news from away from

Wimbledon, from somebody who has gone home, Dominika Cibulkova at her

wedding today, this is her marrying her fiance, isn't that gorgeous? She

made such an impression here with her feet of Agnieszka Radwanska, so

good luck to them, she looks beautiful! Let's bring you the other

headlines of what has been happening at Wimbledon today.

Top seeds Nicolas Mahut and PFU Herbert won and all French men's

doubles final, beating Julien Benneteau and Edouard

Roger-Vasselin. -- Pierre-Hugues Herbert. This is the inaugural women

wheelchair champion with her victory over the fellow Dutchwoman. And

there was British trying in the men's wheelchair doubles as Gordon

Reid and Alfie Hewett lifted the trophy after a terrific battle on

court 17, he will be back in the singles final tomorrow. And there

could be more British success tomorrow, because Heather Watson and

finish partner, Henri Kontinen, have beaten Jelena Ostapenko and partner

in the semifinal. We have seen history geek world today, I know you

are not fortune-tellers, but if you looked into the future, and

Moneymore Grand Slam titles is Serena going to win? -- equalled.

Two or three? Two to get to 24, which would be Margaret Court, and

one more to beat it? She has a very good chance of beating it if she

stays healthy. She is motivated, the pressure is off, she has not played

that many matches this year, so she is fresh, the way she is playing

right now, why not keep going? Today was very much Serena's day, thank

you, for all tennis fans, tune in tomorrow afternoon because to

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