Faced with another opportunity to make history, Serena Williams was nearly flawless.

Williams won her 22nd Grand Slam title to tie Steffi Graf for the most in the modern era, defeating Angelique Kerber of Germany 7-5, 6-3 in the Ladies' Championship at Wimbledon.

The win was a measure of revenge for Williams, who was beaten by Kerber in the finals of the Australian Open in January.

"I love playing her, she's such a great opponent,"  Williams said of Kerber, "and she's such a great person."

The first eleven games of the first set were dead even, but after winning the final three points of the previous game to take a 6-5 lead, Williams earned a pair of break points in game twelve.  Kerber saved the first, but Williams hit a perfect shot into the deep corner and Kerber's return went into the net as Williams prevailed 7-5.  It was the first time Kerber had lost a set in the Championships.

So dominant was Serena when serving, Kerber didn't get her first break point until the seventh game of the second set.  But Williams hit two straight aces and went on to win the game and take a 4-3 lead.  Williams then came back from 15-40 in the next game to win four straight points and put herself into position to serve out the match.

And she did.  At love.

"It's been tough not to think about it," Williams said of tying Graf's record, "and I had a couple of other chances.  But I love playing out here on Centre Court.  I'm just so excited."

The title was Williams' seventh at the All-England Club.

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