Serena Williams v Garbiñe Muguruza: Wimbledon women's singles final – as it happened

Is there any stopping Serena? Andy Roddick, who has known her since they were both very young, says he has never seen her so determined. She has history in her sights now, just three slams away from joining Margaret Court on 24 titles.

Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s swiftly-filed match report from a breathtaking final:

Serena Williams sealed concurrent ownership of the four major championships in her sport, beating the bright young Spaniard Garbiñe Muguruza 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 23 minutes to win her sixth Wimbledon. If the 33-year-old American can retain her US Open title in September, she will also have a calendar-year grand slam at last – and all talk of the legitimacy of the “Serena slam” will be shelved forever – as well as drawing alongside the record 22 majors owned by Steffi Graf.

However, she did not make it easy for herself in this in her 25th slam final. It’s all very well having the biggest serve in tennis but if you fail to land six of them in the box in the first game of a grand slam final against a hungry young contender like Muguruza, life gets complicated.

Serena circles Centre Court with her trophy, to great applause. She looks as hungry as she has ever been and, on this evidence, only a fool would bet against her becoming the most decorated female player of all time. Remember, this is her sixth Wimbledon title, her 21st grand slam victory. A remarkable achievement.

Serena Williams:

It feels so good, it’s been a little while and I really appreciate holding it [the trophy]. Garbine played so well, I didn’t know it was over – you’ll be holding this trophy very soon, believe me.

I’m just happy it was such a great match. I can’t believe I’m standing here with another ‘Serena Slam’. There was definitely a bit of pressure towards the end

Garbine Muguruza:

I don’t have words to say how I feel. I am very proud. Thanks to the crowd for supporting me. In Spain we don’t have much grass, I’m going to change things now. I want to say congrats to Serena, she’s showing why she’s still No1

Serena Williams raises the Venus Rosewater Dish and Centre Court salutes the great champion of the modern era. Now onto Flushing Meadows...

The crowd applauds Garbine Muguruza, who can’t hold back the tears.

But what a performance from Williams, no doubt the better player on the day. She now holds every grand slam title and is on for the calendar year grand slam. What a woman. What a player.

Chance for a breather. What a wonderful final set of tennis that was, and Muguruza deserves more than a few plaudits for her role at the end. She fought till the end and so nearly took the second set to a tie break.

Centre Court rises to a true great. That’s Williams’ 21st grand slam, but what a strange way to end. Muguruza produced heroics to break back in that final set, but Williams responded brilliantly to go 0-40 up. The Spaniard then fired into the tramlines amid much confusion, with many in the crowd expecting a challenge from Muguruza even though the shot was clearly wide! Then, after a short delay, the applause began...

2nd set: Williams 6-4 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Serena Williams is the Wimbledon champion! This ding-dong set swings the way of the American, who went 0-40 up in that game before Muguruza fired into the tramlines!

2nd set: Williams* 5-4 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Stunning. Simply stunning from Muguruza, who breaks Williams following one of the best games of tennis at these Championships. That was such a brilliant game. Williams had initially conceded three break points but a series of aces clawed her back to deuce, and then a match point of her own. Muguruza, somehow, stayed in the game and then earned a fourth break point - which she squandered! There was no such mistake from the fifth, however, with an accurate and deep groundstroke that ensures this set is back on serve. Remarkable.

2nd set: Williams 5-3 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Well done Muguruza. You have to praise the youngster for her resolve in this match. She hasn’t given up, by any stretch of the imagination, even though her second serves are getting the treatment from Williams. Serena took that game to deuce but a serve down the middle and accurate forehand crosscourt from Muguruza means Williams will have to serve for the match. That took some bottle.

2nd set: Williams* 5-2 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Interesting. Muguruza simply starts swinging freely, and she breaks Williams to love! That wasn’t in the script! Serena double faulted, yet again, and no doubt tightened up there with the finishing line in sight. Is it just delaying the inevitable, or could this be the greatest comeback of all time?

2nd set: Williams 5-1 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Williams arrows a backhand down the line to go 0-15 up on the Muguruza serve. The 20-year-old is really struggling now, sending a poor backhand into the net to go 0-30 down. Oh dear, a backhand long this time from Muguruza – that’s an unforced error and it concedes three break points. Decisive moment here... and Serena takes the first break chance! Muguruza tried to hang on into the rally but is simply no match for Williams! She’s on fire!

2nd set: Williams* 4-1 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Williams starts the match with her eighth ace of the match. Muguruza is on the ropes here, suddenly she is 40-0 down following another rapid ace. You can’t do anything about those and that’s exactly the expression that Muguruza pulled to her camp up in the stands. She pulls another forehand wide and that’s the game to Williams, to love. It’s a matter of time, you feel, before victory is assured, unless Muguruza can produce something remarkable.

2nd set: Williams 3-1 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

It’s a break for Williams! That could be decisive in the course of this match. Muguruza’s serve is becoming a wee bit predictable, and at 30-15 down she nets to concede two break points. Pressure here for the Spaniard, and she can’t hold! Serena wallops a fierce crosscourt forehand and Muguruza nets!

2nd set: Williams* 2-1 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

Two successive double faults from Williams at 15-0 up. That’s six for the match now and certainly out of character. She’s tensing up a little and looks visibly frustrated, raising her arms to the sky. 30-30, though, following a long backhand from Muguruza, and despite a rare first serve earning Serena a 40-30 advantage, her opponent fights back for deuce. Half-chance perhaps? No. Ace from Williams before another brilliant serve to take the game. That was a relatively bizarre one. Two doubles yet a 123mph ace in the same game! It remains on serve in the second set.

2nd set: Williams 1-1 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

That’s more like it from Muguruza, a hold of serve that will give her some confidence. She needed that, with Williams having won four games in a row previously. The Spaniard takes the game to love with some strong serving.

2nd set: Williams* 1-0 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server) Williams won first set 6-4

It is going to take something special for Muguruza to claw her way back into the match. Serena has the bit between her teeth now, the serves are hitting the lines and the Muguruza forehand is faltering. The Spaniard seems a little rattled, and who can blame her. She was playing so well, arguably the best tennis she could produce, yet still ended up losing the opening set. Williams holds comfortably at the start of the second.

1st set: Williams 6-4 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server)

Williams smacks a backhand crosscourt winner to go 0-15 up. She seems to be anticipating the Muguruza serve much better now, returning deep and with real pace. A wild forehand from the Spaniard gifts Serena a 15-30 lead as the pressure grows, but what a shot from the back of the court from Muguruza – right on the baseline, hopping up off the chalk and wrong-footing Serena a wee bit. She wins the next point and the game goes to deuce, but oh no! A double fault at the worst time! Set point for Serena and she duly takes it with a brilliant shot from deep onto the line! Williams takes the first set!

1st set: Williams* 5-4 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server)

Another double fault for Williams and she’s talking to herself a lot out there. This has been a tricky set for her, no doubt, but she is steadily turning things around. At 30-15 she sprints to the net and smashes an overhead winner into the court that almost bounces into the Royal Box. Some power on that and, even though the serve faltered again in that game, it’s a solid hold to 30, Muguruza continuing to return well but unable to earn any break opportunities.

1st set: Williams 4-4 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server)

This is a brilliant match. Now that Serena has found her rhythm, both players are in the groove and firing bullets at each other from the back of the court. At 15-15, Muguruza pushes a backhand narrowly wide when under pressure. Chance here for Williams, perhaps, and yes, another fierce return forces an error and it’s two break points for the 2012 champion at 15-40. How can Muguruza respond - well, emphatically is the answer, with another ace out wide. But she mishits a forehand long at 30-40 down!! Serena raises her arm, she has the break back!

1st set: Williams* 3-4 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server)

Williams’ service games are passing by pretty quickly now. She’s getting angry and the serve is working efficiently. Serena takes the game to love, now can she break back....

1st set: Williams 2-4 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server)

Oof. Nice way to start from Serena, slamming a forehand winner down the line from Muguruza’s second serve. She’s definitely targeting it, but the Spaniard gets back the next Williams return and we’re at 15-15. More brutal hitting from Serena, though, and she has two break points. Phenomenal from Muguruza to save the first, walloping a serve out wide and continuing to attack despite some strong Williams defence. She repeats it at 30-40 down! The crowd are loving this, there’s no holding back from Muguruza even when break point down. Another serve out wide and suddenly the Spaniard has advantage, winning the game with another brilliant, emphatic serve wide on the other side. That was a superb recovery.

Glennis Byron emails:

Eerie coincidence about those three double faults from Serena - duplicating what Maria did.

1st set: Williams* 2-3 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server)

Serena’s serve is her get-out at the moment. Her groundstroke timing has been a little awry so far. She holds comfortably, though, Muguruza only able to take a single point from the game with her serve clicking into gear.

1st set: Williams 1-3 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server)

Williams starts the game with real intent, smacking a forehand crosscourt winner from Muguruza’s opening second serve, but it’s a hold. Muguruza strikes back with a pinpoint backhand down the line. These two are already slugging it out with some brutal hitting, if they maintain this level throughout we’re in for a corker. 30-30 now as Williams draws level in the game after an ace from Muguruza, and we’re suddenly at deuce. Her first serve is going to be crucial today – Williams is certainly targeting Muguruza’s second, but as yet has been unable to make headway on the first. Williams pulls a forehand wide and that’s the game.

1st set: Williams* 1-2 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server)

This is a ridiculous start for Muguruza. Her returns are ferocious at the moment, and Williams is struggling. It’s similar to the way Muguruza started against Radwanska in the semi-finals, and Serena needs to up her first serve percentage to get back on track. That’s more like it from the American, who recovers to hold serve to 30 with some fierce hitting of her own, Muguruza going long with a backhand following some better serves from Serena. She looks furious with herself, but at least she’s off the mark...

1st set: Williams 0-2 Muguruza* (*denotes most recent server)

We might just have a match on here. Muguruza is the model of serenity out there, she doesn’t appear flustered in the slightest, and holds serve. Her serve looks in decent shape and Williams nets with a forehand to gift her opponent a 40-15 lead, but takes the next point as Muguruza’s backhand finds the net. 40-30 now on second serve, but Williams goes long with a forehand.

1st set: Williams* 0-1 Muguruza (*denotes most recent server)

Wow. We didn’t expect this start. Williams produces three double faults in an opening game that lasted more than eight minutes and Muguruza breaks! The Spaniard has four break points and takes the last following a captivating game. Serena’s serve will be key today, you feel, in the face of some potentially aggressive returning, and it faltered there. Williams’ rhythm was out of sorts and Muguruza capitalised. Can she hold her nerve to take a 2-0 lead?

Williams to serve...

The umpire calls time. Here we go...

Serena has not won this tournament since 2012, when she overcame Agnieszka Radwanska in three sets. We’re moments away from finding out whether she can triumph again, completing the “Serena Slam” and making yet more history...

Serena has only lost two sets on her way to this final, against Watson and Azarenka. Muguruza has only lost one set more.

Serena wins the toss and will serve first. Now for the warm ups...

The Spaniard must be nervous, but she looks calm at least. She’s the first off the chair to have a chat with the tournament referee, Andrew Jarrett, ahead of the coin toss...

The players emerge to rapturous applause on Centre Court. Carrying bouquets of flowers, there are no smiles at all, only focus. Serena takes her headphones off to sample the atmosphere, she’s been here before of course, but this is all new for Muguruza

Here’s Serena, wearing some mammoth headphones

Muguruza looks calm and focused in the corridors of Centre Court, Williams is in the dressing room...

The last time a Spaniard won the ladies’ singles title at Wimbledon:

The sun is out on Centre Court and the atmosphere is beginning to crackle. The players will be out in around 10 minutes

It is difficult to describe just how impressive Serena’s grand slam record has been since that opening title 16 years ago. If she wins today Williams will hold each individual grand slam title. If she wins today, then only the US Open stands between her and a calendar year slam haul.

It is only a few weeks since Muguruza was beaten by Britain’s Jo Konta at Eastbourne. Back then, no-one would have predicted that the Spaniard would reach the Wimbledon final, but here she is. Perhaps ignorance will be bliss for her today, playing in such a monumental match before she realises its significance. A good start will be crucial.

Here’s Kevin Mitchell previewing today’s final...

Garbiñe Muguruza should have the mien of a condemned prisoner – albeit one about to collect a minimum £940,000 – yet she manages to sound as if she were preparing for a picnic on Wimbledon Common instead of being delivered up to Serena Williams on Centre Court on Saturday.

Martina Navratilova:

Muguruza has to play the game of her life to win. But there is no pressure on her

One of Muguruza’s camp has just revealed that this time last year she was partying in Ibiza while Petra Kvitova swept to her second Wimbledon title.

Does anyone think Muguruza can produce a shock to end all shocks? Let’s not forget that she has beaten Williams once before and, so far at Wimbledon, the 21-year-old has been a fearless force. Against Radwanska in the semi-finals her aggression won the game, the Polish 13th seed unable to cope with the power from the baseline and speed into the net.

Little Frank on Twitter says:

Fancy that Muguruza will either be heroic (a la Heather) or a flop (max 4 games), but sadly can’t see her winning this

Play starts on Centre Court at 2pm

Muguruza had won one match at Wimbledon before this year’s Championships. That is quite remarkable but, so far, the Spaniard has played fearlessly

Serena Williams has played in 24 grand slam singles finals. She has won 20. That is the task facing Garbine Muguruza.

Has Centre Court ever seen a performance quite like Roger Federer’s yesterday? The cradle of tennis, so described by Novak Djokovic, was the stage for one of the more remarkable and flawless displays in recent memory. Today, further drama is guaranteed, as one of the greatest female players of all time prepares to make history once more.

This, so far, has been Serena’s year. Successive titles in Melbourne and Paris mean she is one victory away from her 21st grand slam. It would leave her one short of Steffi Graf’s total and just two shy of the all-time record set by Margaret Court. Quite simply, Williams has been the dominant force in women’s tennis for years, her first of 20 major titles coming in New York 16 years ago. Sixteen years! Back then, Garbine Muguruza was five.

Some of Williams’ opponents at SW19 this year, including Heather Watson, have confessed to having posters of her on their bedroom walls when young. Yet Serena remains at the summit, unbowed and insurmountable even after all this time. She may not openly discuss it but the “Serena Slam” – and potentially all grand slams titles in a calendar year – is surely the target in her sights.

In her way today is, quite possibly, a major champion of the future. Muguruza’s stock is rising, her status elevated thanks to a swift ascent in recent months. The 21-year-old Spaniard, born in Venezuela, is ranked 20th in the world but this, by far, has been her finest tournament yet. En route to the final she has already beaten Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska, her power and aggression overwhelming opponents far more experienced on the big stage.

A win today, though, would be one of the most significant upsets here in recent times. It would ensure a first Spanish female champion since Conchita Martinez in 1994. Muguruza has already beaten Serena once – at Roland Garros in 2014 – and this year’s battle for the Venus Rosewater Dish promises to be a fascinating duel.

James will be here shortly.