Serena Williams dominates Sharapova to win gold

Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball to Russia's Maria Sharapova during their London 2012 Olympic Games women's singles gold medal match, at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, August 4, 2012. / LUIS ACOSTA/AFP/Getty Images

Last Updated 4:29 p.m. ET

(AP) WIMBLEDON, England - As Serena Williams stood atop the medal podium, her career Golden Slam complete thanks to an Olympic rout, the gusty wind on Centre Court blew the U.S. flag off its pole midway through the national anthem.

Old Glory came to rest in front of the Royal Box.

"It was probably flying to come hug me because the flag was so happy," Williams said.

Williams wore a smile herself after she became only the second woman to achieve a Golden Slam, winning the most lopsided women's final in Olympic history Saturday by beating Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1.

The victory completed a remarkable run of domination by the No. 4-seeded Williams, who lost only 17 games in six matches en route to her first singles gold medal. She went 13-0 this summer at the All England Club, where she won her fifth Wimbledon title a month ago.

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Serena Williams

It took the No. 3-seeded Sharapova 45 minutes to win a game, and by then she trailed 6-0, 3-0. Williams dominated with her serve and repeatedly blasted winners from the baseline, taking a big swing with almost every stroke despite the windy conditions on Centre Court.

Williams said the tournament was the best she has played from start to finish.

"I was so focused here," she said. "I remember I was serving and I was thinking: 'Serena, this is your best chance to win a gold medal. You're at Wimbledon, you're on grass, you play great on grass, pull it together, just win this.' And that's what I thought about."

The career Golden Slam was first achieved by Steffi Graf, who did it when she won at the Olympics in 1988 after sweeping all four major titles.

"Growing up watching her, I always liked her," Williams said. "Having a chance to be mentioned in the same name — I always thought, 'OK, one person I'll never be mentioned in the same name is Steffi Graf. She's done everything."'

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Williams can add the gold medal to her 14 Grand Slam singles championships, the most of any active woman. She's the first player to achieve a Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.

And she's not done in London. Williams and her sister Venus, pursuing their third gold in doubles, beat Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova of Russia 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals. Their opponents Sunday will be Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic.

Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam in June by winning the French Open, but Williams beat her for the eighth consecutive time. The most one-sided previous women's final was in 1920, when Suzanne Lenglen of France beat Dorothy Holman of Britain 6-3, 6-0.

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London Olympics: Aug. 4, 2012

Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the bronze by beating No. 14-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia 6-3, 6-4. Sharapova's loss allowed Azarenka to retain the No. 1 ranking.

Roger Federer will try to complete a career Golden Slam when he plays Andy Murray of Britain in the men's final Sunday.

Two hours after Williams completed her Golden Slam, twins Mike and Bob Bryan of the United States achieved the same feat, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Michael Llodra of France to win the gold in doubles, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Williams took charge of her final from the start, sweeping the first eight points. The crowd wanted to see a contest and saved its biggest cheers for the rare occasions when Sharapova won a point.

Mostly she was lunging or whiffing as the ball whizzed past, or caught off-balance trying to block back shots at her feet. Williams finished with 10 aces, 24 winners and only seven unforced errors.

"She's playing incredibly confident tennis," Sharapova said. "Her shots were very powerful."

There was no giving up by the Russian, one of the most dogged players on the women's tour, but there was no letup from Williams.

"Against Maria, if you give her any hope, she's trying to come back," Williams said. "She won that one game and I could see her pumping her fist, and I was like, 'Oh boy, here she comes.' It was really important for me to almost go out there and just do everything."

When Williams ripped a return winner for a 2-0 lead in the second set, she screamed "Come on!" as if trying to jump-start her game.

She had a similar outburst two games later after whacking a winner to erase a break point, one of only two she faced. She was broken just once in the tournament.

At 15-15 in the final game, a spectator shouted, "Don't give up, Maria."

One point later, someone else hollered, "Maria, I still want to marry you."

Soon Williams closed out the victory with her 60th ace of the tournament, then let out a long scream. After shaking hands with Sharapova, Williams hopped a dozen times on the grass she loves, waved and then hopped some more.

Williams was still hopping as she put on her Team USA jacket for the medal ceremony. Then she began to dance.

"I don't think I've ever danced like that," she said. "I don't even know where the dance came from."

These days, no one can match her moves.

[2michelleway7]

What is Marylafl talking about? Serena is understandably ranked #1 in the world again, but Eastern European Viktoria Azarenka was ranked #1 for a while, too. ALL of the tennis players that hard-working, brilliant Serena Williams played at the Olympics were PRO tennis players!

[2michelleway7]

Woops, don't know why my post repeated so many times!

[2michelleway7]

Tondelayo, don't listen to crazy Marylafl. I don't know what cave she's been living in, but everyone and his Sister know that Maria Sharapova is an Eastern European PRO tennis player who just got blown off the court by a more highly skilled Pro, Serena Williams! Serena's understandably won more majors than any active singles player, but Sharapova has won some majors and MILLIONS of dollars for it and much more in endorsements! Btw, it was Eastern European players who were caught taking steroids and BANNED from tennis because of it. Sesil Karatantcheva, anyone? And what's ironic for Marylafl is that Performance Enhancer CHEATER, Sesil Karatantcheva, "beat" a CLEAN, HONEST Williams sister whose official ranking UNFAIRLY fell BECAUSE of Sesil's cheating. Did I mention that Sesil is Eastern European?

[varigdc10]

Maria is "MUCH" better looking than the other person, for me she is the "WINNER".

[jenbl4]

It's not baout how you look ...it's about how yoy play. She is not better looking, she is just a blonde!

[Smilestoo]

I disagree.

[nohater]

pros should not be allowe to compete in the olympics, period. the olympic games should be for non-professionals.

[marylafl]

agree 100%, used to be for non-professionals,now we have all those American professionals ( basketball too) and Her getting more money. Not fun anymore

[trinigurl98]

yea, and when the eastern Europeans compete their amateurs against ours who do you think has a fair chance? If you knew the history of the Olympics you wouldn't utter such a naive statement.

[bogey2511]

She didn't win that on her own. Lot's of people are good at tennis. she played on a tennis court "the rest of us built". Somewhere along the way she had an instructor.......

[notparicular]

Not a well thought out comment.

[yougogirl60]

@bogey2511:

Not everything is about politics.

[you_MAY_be_right]

Why even bother with tennis in Olympics?

Its not like there isn't already The U. S. Open, Austrailian Open, French Open, Wimbeldon every year. And all the finalists in the tennis Olympics are already seen/known champiomship winners.

Olympics were initially for the amateurs to have a chance top shine their lights, not is is all baout the pros beating the cr@p out of everyone else.

[th9876]

I agree. Professionals shouldn't be eligible.

[formerlyluvnut]

I always thought pro's were not eligible for the olympics anyway. There I go thinking again.

[Anastasia_Beaverhousen]

USA is kicking butt! China and Russia are no longer the same power houses of the summer games. Wait until Track and field starts. We will finish far in the lead. I am so proud of all the Team USA athletes. We don't need to "breed" them or send them off to creepy camps. Congrats Serena and all of Team USA!

[you_MAY_be_right]

The following are current for the 2012 Olympics in order: gold; silver; bronze; total.

United States 23 10 13 46
2 China 21 16 10 47
3 United Kingdom 10 7 8 25
4 Korea 9 2 5 16
5 France 8 5 8 21

You call a one medal total over China "kicking butt"?

And that isn't even a gold. China has 2 golds more than USA.

[Smilestoo]

While the U.S. economy falters, the Chinese are kicking butt with the U.S. factories and jobs.

[grannydops47]

Yaaaa
I cannot think of anything milder than *"REVENGE and Pay-Back" (OR I would have used it). However ~~> Today must have *"WHIPED-CLEAN" in Serena's head any lingering regrets about the Wimbledon 2004 Loss in the Final.
She has ENSURED that her name is INDELIBLY PRINTED in all TENNIS HISTORY. (And Venus Ebony Starr (Big Sis)SHOULD ~~> probably be there *AS WELL!!!"
Hip Hip Hip Horay For VENUS EBONY STARR - SERENA - Richard and Orecene ~~ You see Richard was NOT just a CRAZY old *"Coon" after all.

[ababaa1234]

They should be drug tested, but nobody dares to mention it because they are rich, black and in you face aggressive.

[sewaa]

Every athlete is subject to rigorous drug testing. They are rich and black but no more agressive the next player that rises to that status.

[vernique3]

Go girl. America is proud of you.

[2michelleway7]

Vernique3, I heartily concur. Serena and Venus make me even prouder to be an American!