Venus fails to find variation to trouble Serena

By Kevin Fylan

LONDON (Reuters) - Venus Williams seldom needs a plan B on grass but her failure to come up with anything new cost her a sixth Wimbledon title on Saturday, as Serena proved more resilient and every bit as powerful as her older sister.

Venus was the overwhelming favourite going into the final after demolishing world number one Dinara Safina 6-1 6-0 in the semis but against her sibling she was up against the one opponent she cannot dominate with the pace and placement of her serve.

She lost the first set on a tiebreak and was broken twice in the second yet still she seemed unable, or at least unwilling, to vary her tactics.

The 29-year-old Venus, 15 months older than Serena, hit no drop shots and no sliced returns or approaches.

Just as Safina had done in the semi-final, she kept belting it back and it was to the same lack of effect, as Serena won 7-6 6-2 in one hour 27 minutes to take her third Wimbledon title in what was the fourth all-Williams final here.

"I'm a shover," Venus told reporters after her defeat. "Some people push, but I shove. That's my mentality.

"I have to just hit, and I can't help it. It's just hard to change my mind. So will I slice one day? Probably. But if I have a chance to hit it or slice it, I'm gonna hit it."

Venus, who had been going for her third successive Wimbledon title, said it was a lack of perfection rather than a lack of variation that had let her down, although she did say coming in from the baseline more often might have helped.