Garbine Muguruza emphatically beat old-hand Venus Williams in the 2017 Wimbledon final on Saturday, easing past the 10th-seeded American 7-5, 6-0 to lift her maiden grass court Grand Slam at Centre Court, London. 

Muguruza, the 2016 French Open champion, was the slight underdog against the five-time champion Williams and despite a somewhat shaky start, the Spaniard held firm to get some revenge for her loss to Venus’s sister, Serena, in the 2015 final.

Venus, enjoying a resurgent 2017 after suffering a few indifferent years, was pushing Muguruza on the Spaniard’s serve and twice in the opening set had break point opportunities, but each time Muguruza produced some of her best tennis to get out of jail.

Holding her serve to level proceedings at 5-5 proved to be the key point in the match, as the 23-year-old Muguruza turned the tables on her experienced opponent by breaking her to take a 6-5 lead. And the 14th-seed held her serve with ease to get that vital one-set-to-love lead in the final.

Not since 2006, when Amelie Maursesmo beat Justine Henin-Hardenne, had a player come back from an opening set deficit in the final and that never looked like happening, for the second set was a complete blowout. 

Age seemed to have caught up with Vennus, as was no match for an opponent 14 years her junior with the Spaniard reeling off game after game to come within sight of her second Grand Slam.

Breaking Venus twice to place one hand on the trophy, Muguruza was relentless in her pursuit but the American was looking jaded as the match came to a close with little over an hour of playing time. 

At 37, the American has nothing left to prove and as her legs seemingly gave way, she tried her best to keep pace with Muguruza, but was broken one final time and as the Spaniard served for the championship, the writing was on the wall.

For Muguruza, Saturday’s win will be the perfect riposte for the critics who had doubted her ability and desire to win another Major after an inconsistent year. 

The 23-year-old is now the first Spanish woman to win Wimbledon since Conchita Martinez lifted the prestigious title way back in 1994 and after a brilliant tournament in which she dropped just one set, fully deserves all the plaudits that are set to be bestowed upon her.