Garbine Muguruza beats Venus Williams in straight sets in the Wimbledon women's final: As it happened

Relive the 2017 Wimbledon final between Muguruza and Williams

Muguruza with the Venus Rosewater Dish (Getty)

An inspired Garbine Muguruza stormed to her first Wimbledon title on Saturday, blowing away in-form American Venus Williams 7-5 6-0 with arguably the performance of her career after tight and tense early exchanges.

In the first women's final played under the Centre Court roof, a high-quality first set gradually built towards a captivating conclusion after both players began with two comfortable service holds.

Muguruza saved two set points in the 10th game, the first a 19-stroke rally that ended when Williams netted a forehand. The Spaniard broke in the following game when another lung-bursting rally ended on a forehand error from the American.

An astonishing defensive lob in the next then took Muguruza to two set points, the second of which she converted.

That three-game sequence seemed to break the resolve of the American who, trying to become the oldest woman to win Wimbledon for 109 years, lost the second set to love in an equally astonishing turnaround.

The Venezuela-born 23-year-old sealed her second grand slam victory after a successful Hawkeye challenge of a Williams forehand that sailed just beyond the baseline.

Relive the dramatic final below…

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[15 July 2017 13:45 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

And here's what Muguruza has to say...

“I don’t think I could be 37 and playing that level. She just loves to play and she enjoys going out there. At least it’s what it shows. She keeps playing, even though she achieve so many things. She’s still motivated to go for more, which is also very surprising.”

“[The 2015 Wimbledon] final helped me a lot to figure out a way to play better on grass because before I was, like, not very experienced. Never played a lot of tournaments. It was just a very surprising moment when you reach a final in a tournament where you thought it was going to be difficult. Right now I know how to play more on grass.

“When I reached the final in 2015, and when I won the French Open, I could feel the difference between winning a grand slam and not winning. It’s a huge difference.”

[15 July 2017 13:53 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

A quick start is key

The two women has dropped just one set apiece ahead of today's match, which means that the first set is going to be more important than ever.

That means a decider could be on the cards, which history suggests would favour whoever starts best.

Of grand slam contests in which they have taken the first set, Muguruza has lost just two of 42, and Williams 18 of 250. 

[15 July 2017 13:55 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza - what you need to know

• The Spaniard dropped out of the world top 10 after failing to retain her French Open crown last month but responded well on her return to grass, reaching the semi-finals in Birmingham.
• The 2015 Wimbledon finalist has been in top form at this year's championships, dropping only one set on her way to the final.
• Muguruza is hoping to become first Spanish woman to win the title since her coach Conchita Martinez in 1994.

[15 July 2017 14:19 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza* 1-2 Williams

A great return from Muguruza at 0-30, a thumping crosscourt forehand which Williams can only hack back into the net. She hits a winner of her own on the next point though: a crunching forehand down the line which Muguruza reaches for and misses.

Williams tries to repeat the trick on the next point and misses, but holds when Muguruza again nudges her forehand long. 

[15 July 2017 14:23 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza 2-2 Williams*

A better start to Muguruza's second service game than her first: two big serves out wide that Williams is unable to return. Williams then messes up a routine backhand slice return, and Muguruza is 40-15 up.

She holds when an off-balance Williams cracks her forehand long. A routine hold for the Spaniard, that. 

[15 July 2017 14:30 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza 3-3 Williams*

Another double-fault for Muguruza at 30-15. The first sign of pressure ... ?

And then the best shot of the final so far! Muguruza backs up Williams with that trademark big backhand but Williams, scrabbling around well back beyond the baseline, blasts an incredible crosscourt forehand winner past her, hit while at full stretch. 

The first break point of the match ... but she fails to capitalise, and after another forehand error Muguruza holds. 

[15 July 2017 14:40 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza* 3-4 Williams

A fantastic point at 15-all! Williams comes to the net and tries to catch Muguruza out with the drop volley, but the Spaniard picks it up. Williams flicks it back, with the Spaniard then attempting a big lob. Williams gets to it - smashes - Muguruza defends, but then blasts her next shot long.

And then at 40-30, Williams double-faults! She takes a moment to compose herself, and then fires an ace past her opponent. But on the next point her forehand DTL clips the tape, and we're back to deuce.

Muguruza gets her first break point when an awkward bounce sees Williams hack a relatively routine forehand both high and wide. Williams defends with a big second serve, which catches Muguruza completely unawares. She wins the next point with another big serve, and then double-faults.

No worries. She aces the next point, and an off-balance Muguruza then makes a backhand error to hand Williams the game.

[15 July 2017 14:42 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza 4-4 Williams* 

Good work from Muguruza. She batters Williams to the back of the court before picking the exact right moment to pace forward to the net, belting a volley past her scrambling opponent.

At 30-15 Williams gets on top in the rally and has Muguruza right where she wants her in the corner of the court, but gets far too much pace on her attempted crosscourt winner which sails over the baseline. Muguruza then wins the next point at the net, and holds to 15.

[15 July 2017 14:58 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza* 6-5 Williams

A big moment at 15-all when Williams appears to send her forehand long, but she challenges the decision and Hawk Eye shows that the ball was well in. Eva Asderaki-Moore instructs the women to replay the point: which Williams loses anyway.

She's suddenly started struggling down that forehand side. Another one goes long and Muguruza has another break point ... but she completely snatches at her opportunity and hits her next shot woefully long. 

She's not made to wait too long her her next BP, though, as Williams makes an unforced error at deuce. Another big rally follows ... which ends with Williams slamming yet another shot long! Muguruza breaks! 

[15 July 2017 15:04 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Muguruza 7-5 Williams*

Muguruza's backhand really is a work of art. These are long, punishing physical rallies and the Spaniard is beginning to really get herself on top. She forces Williams into the corner of the court and then finishes her off with a big crosscourt winner to get to 30-15.

And then the shot of the set! Williams is on top on the next rally but Muguruza somehow reaches a low shot down the line and flicks back an expertly weighted lob, which lands on the line and spits away from the reach of Williams.

Two set points for Muguruza, just as Williams had two earlier on. Williams defends the first, but clips the tape on the second and Garbine Muguruza has won the first set!