It's been 17 years since Venus Williams won Wimbledon for her first Grand Slam title. All that time later, she will be aiming for her sixth championship at the All England Club and eighth major trophy overall when she faces Garbine Muguruza of Spain in Saturday's final.
Williams is 37 and would be the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam title in the Open era. As it is, she is the oldest finalist at Wimbledon since Martina Navratilova was the 1994 runner-up at age 39.
Muguruza, meanwhile, is 23 and owns one major championship, from the 2016 French Open. This will be her second Wimbledon final; she lost to Williams' younger sister, Serena, in 2015.
"I'm definitely in the position I want to be in," Williams said. "It's a long two weeks. Now, knocking on the door for a title. This is where I want to be."
On Saturday, she'll be playing for the Venus Rosewater Dish for the ninth time in her 20th Wimbledon appearance.
"There's still a lot to be done. I have one more match that I'd like to be the winner of," Williams said. "I have to go out there and take it and play well."
Muguruza, however, beat Serena to win the French Open title in 2016. And she's expecting the same kind of atmosphere despite the unfamiliar opponent.
"I don't think it's going to be different. A final is a final," Muguruza said. "Only one's going to win. ... The racket has to talk."
Besides her experience on the court, Muguruza will also have some experience behind her off it. She has been working with 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez recently.
"I think she's helping me to deal with the stress of the tournament, because it's a long tournament," Muguruza said. "So she just knows how to prepare, how to train, what to do.
"Not that I'm doing something different, honestly. But to have her by my side gives me also this little confidence on having someone that has won before."
Williams and Muguruza have played each other four times before, and the American has won three of them. They have never before played on grass, though.
Order of Play for Saturday: (Play starts at 2:00 PM BST/ 6:30 PM IST
Women's singles final:
Garbine Muguruza, Spain, vs Venus Williams, United States
Men's doubles final:
Lukasz Kubot, Poland, and Marcelo Melo, Brazil, vs Oliver Marach, Austria, and Mate Pavic, Croatia
Women's doubles final:
Chan Hao-ching, Taiwan, and Monica Niculescu, Romania, vs Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, Russia
With inputs from AP
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Updated Date: Jul 15, 2017 21:47:57 IST
Highlights
Wimbledon sinlges girls' final:
In a clash of American 17-year-olds, Claire Liu beats Ann Li, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 for the girls' title.
Liu had finished as the runner-up at French Open 2017.
Liu becomes the first American to win the girls' singles title since 1992.
With the title win, Garbine Muguruza will move into the top 5 of the WTA rankings on Monday.
Venus Williams will rise to World No 9.
Garbine Muguruza wins her maiden Wimbledon title with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Venus Williams.
The Spaniard ran away with the second set and took just an hour and 17 minutes to clinch the title.
Garbine Muguruza wins the opening set 7-5 over Venus Williams in 51 minutes!
The Spaniard is a set away from her maiden Wimbledon title.
Confirmed: Centre Court to play under the roof
Venus Williams and Garbiñe Muguruza will walk out within minutes and play the final on time and under the roof. It will not be opened at any stage for their match even once it stops raining.
Venus Williams is aiming for her SIXTH Wimbledon title and EIGHTH Grand Slam title.
Garbine Muguruza has one Grand Slam to her name - the 2016 French Open - and she reached the Wimbledon final in 2015.
Stats for the women's final:
Venus leads the head-to-head against Garbine Muguruza leads 3-1. However, Muguruza won their most recent clash.
2013 Florianopolis, hard-outdoor, R16, Williams, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.
2014 Auckland, hard-outdoor, QF, Williams, 6-3, 6-3.
2015 Wuhan, hard-outdoor, F, Williams 6-3, 3-0, retired.
2017 Rome, clay-outdoor, QF, Muguruza, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
LIVE NEWS and UPDATES
21:47 (IST)
Thank you so much for joining us in our live coverage of the Wimbledon women's final.
Do tune in tomorrow as well for the men's final: Roger Federer takes on Marin Cilic. That promises to be a cracker.
See you tomorrow! Goodnight.
21:42 (IST)
Before we sign off, here's our image of the day.
21:39 (IST)
Wimbledon sinlges girls' final:
In a clash of American 17-year-olds, Claire Liu beats Ann Li, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 for the girls' title.
Liu had finished as the runner-up at French Open 2017.
Liu becomes the first American to win the girls' singles title since 1992.
20:33 (IST)
With the title win, Garbine Muguruza will move into the top 5 of the WTA rankings on Monday.
Venus Williams will rise to World No 9.
20:27 (IST)
Recap of the Wimbledon women's singles final:
Garbine Muguruza out-powered Venus Williams to win the Wimbledon title 7-5, 6-0.
Muguruza, who lost in the final at the All England Club in 2015, saved two set points in the 10th game of the first set, and then won nine straight games to win.
The match was played under a closed roof on Centre Court, the first time a women's final had been played indoors.
For Muguruza, it was her second Grand Slam title. She also won the French Open last year.
Williams had been trying to win her sixth Wimbledon title. Her last one came in 2008.
20:27 (IST)
20:23 (IST)
20:23 (IST)
20:23 (IST)
20:21 (IST)
Take a look at the final match stats form Muguruza's win!
20:16 (IST)
20:09 (IST)
The Venus Rosewater Dish, one of the most beautiful trophies in the sport.
20:07 (IST)
Garbine Muguruza becomes only the second female player from Spain to win the Wimbledon title.
20:01 (IST)
Garbine Muguruza wins her maiden Wimbledon title with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Venus Williams.
The Spaniard ran away with the second set and took just an hour and 17 minutes to clinch the title.
19:59 (IST)
Garbine Muguruza wins!
Muguruza races away to a 40-0 lead. This match has spun so quickly on its head.
THREE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS For Garbine Muguruza!
The Spaniard nets a backhand and it's 40-15.
She hooks a forehand long after Venus hits a deep return and it's 40-30.
Muguruza stops a rally on the next point and challenges a Venus return. Hawk-Eye shows it was long. Garbine Muguruza wins!
19:55 (IST)
19:55 (IST)
Muguruza breaks again, will now serve for the Wimbledon title.
Venus goes down 0-40 on her serve.
Muguruza comes up with a backhand winner that seals an eighth consecutive game for her. She now leads 7-5, 5-0.
19:54 (IST)
Muguruza is playing absolutely fearless tennis! She holds for 4-0.
Seven games on the trot for the Spaniard. Venus is in all sorts of trouble on Centre Court and this match is quickly slipping away from her grasp.
19:53 (IST)
Six straight games for Muguruza! She takes a 7-5, 3-0 lead over Venus.
Venus is rushing to the net to try and change things up but Muguruza hits two passing shot winners that whizz past her. Venus sends a volley wide and gets broken again.
19:49 (IST)
19:48 (IST)
Muguruza consolidates the break, leads 2-0 in the second set.
Muguruza races away to 40-0 on her serve but Venus wins the next two points with some excellent tennis.
However, she nets a forehand to hand Muguruza the hold.
19:44 (IST)
From WTA Insider:
Muguruza dominating rallies over 5+ shots in the 1st set.
0-4 shots: Venus won 29 to 24
5+ shots: Muguruza won 17 to 9
This is what all the difference in the opening set.
19:43 (IST)
Venus broken in the very first game on the second set.
Double fault on break point by Venus and Muguruza is now up 7-5, *1-0.
19:40 (IST)
Take a look at the stats from the opening set.
19:39 (IST)
19:38 (IST)
Garbine Muguruza wins the opening set 7-5 over Venus Williams in 51 minutes!
The Spaniard is a set away from her maiden Wimbledon title.
19:34 (IST)
Garbine Muguruza wins 1st set, 7-5.
Venus wins the first point at the net with a tough forehand pass after hitting a sweet volley to draw Muguruza in. 01-5.
Venus is unable to control her forehand on the next point and it's 15-15.
Muguruza hammers a few forehands deep into Venus' court to force her on the defensive and her relentless pressure pays off.
TWO SET POINTS for Muguruza as she hits a lob that just clips the line and spins away, far from Venus' reach.
Venus saves one break point but is unable to save the second. Muguruza outlasts her in an 11-shot rally to win the opening set, 7-5.
19:28 (IST)
Muguruza breaks for 6-5 and will now serve for the opening set!
Break point for Muguruza now! Venus' level drops a little and she sprays a couple of errors. But she comes up with a good serve that Muguruza can only send flying out to make it deuce.
On the next point, Venus nets a forehand and it's BREAK POINT #2 for Muguruza.
Another brilliant, long rally and Muguruza breaks after trading huge groundstokes and matching Venus for pace and power. She forces a forehand error from Venus and BREAKS FOR 6-5!
Garbine Muguruza will now serve for the first set.
19:25 (IST)
19:24 (IST)
Muguruza wrestles out a tough hold after saving two set points! 5-5.
Two set points for Venus Williams.
Muguruza saves both with some splendid tennis. At 15-40, Venus attacked the Spaniard's forehand, but she stays strong. Both players exchange multiple forehands, and Muguruza wins the longest rally of the match so far as Venus nets.
Muguruza saves the second set point with a good first serve down the center, and Venus misses the forehand return.
Two more gutsy points from Muguruza and she HOLDS. Great effort!
19:19 (IST)
Love-hold from Venus as she plays a perfect game to make it 5-4.
Muguruza will now have to serve under pressure to stay alive in the first set.
19:14 (IST)
Muguruza responds with a confident hold. 4-4.
The Spaniard is serving really well in this match so far. She has shown no signs of nerves nad keeping up with Venus really well. Good start to the women's final.
19:11 (IST)
19:10 (IST)
Venus saves a break point in a mixed serving game but holds for 4-3.
Break point opportunity for Muguruza this time around after Venus can't control a backhand return.
Venus comes up with a 106 mph solid second serve on break point and saves break point.
Another massive serve down the T and Venus has advantage.
Double fault and it's deuce. Ace out wide and it's advantage for Venus.
The 14th seed finally holds after playing a clever combination of shots. which included a fine backhand down the line that she played at an awkward angle.
19:03 (IST)
Muguruza saves break point for 3-3.
Incredible forehand pass from Venus at full stretch and she creates the first break point of the final. 30-40.
Missed opportunity from Venus as she managed to push Muguruza off the court with deep forehands and had the court empty to make a backhand winner down the line, but instead she dumps it into the net. Deuce.
Muguruza wins the next two points and manages to hold.
18:59 (IST)
Love-hold for Venus to make it 3-2.
Venus races ahead 30-0 on her serve and then holds to love.
The American is serving at 90% to start the match while Muguruza is getting just 56% of her returns in play early. In contrast, Muguruza serving at 75% and has won 100% of her second serve points, but Venus is getting 88% of her returns in play.
18:54 (IST)
18:54 (IST)
On serve, Muguruza serving at 1-2.
Muguruza has a much easier job holding serve and the Venus holds at 15 as well.
Venus sends a forehand flying long and Muguruza holds easily for 2-2.
18:50 (IST)
18:49 (IST)
There seems to be no grass on one end of the court near the baseline.
18:44 (IST)
Venus Williams to serve first to start proceedings.
She starts off with an ace. 15-0.
Venus sprays a return wide on the next point. 15-15.
Muguruza makes it 30-30 in the opening game but overcooks her return to give Venus game point.
Venus holds with a backhand winner down the line.
18:40 (IST)
Venus and Muguruza are out on court warming up.
The roof is closed over Centre Court which creates a nice buzz!
18:35 (IST)
The players are ready to walk out on court!
Just minutes to go for the women's final to start.
Stay tuned for live scores and regular updates from the women's match.
18:30 (IST)
Confirmed: Centre Court to play under the roof
Venus Williams and Garbiñe Muguruza will walk out within minutes and play the final on time and under the roof. It will not be opened at any stage for their match even once it stops raining.
18:20 (IST)
Weather update:
It's quite rainy and damp at Wimbledon and we will probably have the final under the closed roof today.
With a light rain falling and the women's final between Venus Williams and Garbine Muguruza due to start soon, the roof over the main stadium has already been closed to ensure play will begin on time.
18:11 (IST)
Garbine Muguruza is being coached by Conchita Martinez this fortnight at Wimbledon.
Martinez is the only female Spaniard to have won the Wimbledon title, which she did in 1994. Martinez defeated a 39-year-old Martina Navratilova back then.
Muguruza is hoping to emulate her coach and lift the Venus Rosewater Dish today. Venus, on the other hand, is aiming to become the oldest female champion in the Open era.
17:55 (IST)
When Venus Williams won her first Wimbledon title in 2000, Garbine Muguruza was just six years old!
17:50 (IST)
Can Garbine Muguruza play party-pooper today?
17:46 (IST)
Here's how both the finalists made it so far.
Venus Williams
1st rd: bt Elise Mertens (BEL) 7-6 (9/7), 6-4
2nd rd: bt Wang Qiang (CHN) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
3rd rd: bt Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
4th rd: bt Ana Konjuh (CRO x27) 6-3, 6-2
QF: bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x 13) 6-3 7-5
SF: bt Johanna Konta (GBR x6) 6-4, 6-2
Garbine Muguruza
1st rd: bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-2, 6-4
2nd rd: bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-2, 6-4
3rd rd: bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 6-2, 6-2
4th rd: bt Angelique Kerber (GER x1) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
QF: bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x7) 6-3, 6-4
SF: bt Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 6-1, 6-1
17:45 (IST)
A look at the numbers before the final begins. (Image courtesy: Twitter/@Wimbledon)