Not content with deposing older sister Venus as world number one, Serena Williams spoilt the top seed's dreams of a Wimbledon hat-trick at the All England Club yesterday.

The 20-year-old Serena, the second seed, claimed her third Grand Slam title with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 win in 78 minutes over 22-year-old Venus, who had been bidding to

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become just the third women in the Open Era to win three successive Wimbledon titles.

Less than a month after lifting her first French Open title against Venus at Roland Garros, Serena reaffirmed her status as the new world number one which she takes from Venus on Monday.

Serena, the 1999 US Open champion, is now just one Grand Slam win from joining the ranks of just eight women tennis greats who have won on all surfaces.

Venus won the first round when she successfully defended her US Open title last year, but has since been struggling to keep up with the pace of Serena, who dad Richard had always predicted would emerge as the better player.

Serena had made no secret of her determination to become a member of the All England club.

She came out gunning for victory earning the first break of the match following an untimely double by Venus in the third game.

But then the younger sister double faulted at break point to allow Venus to draw level again 2-2 in the next game.

A costly double fault in the fifth

game handed Serena a break point once again which she converted when Venus hit into the net.

But Venus hit back coming from 30-love down in the ninth game when Serena was serving for the set, forcing errors from her younger sister to break back drawing level 55.

A frustated Serena slammed down her racket as Venus shifted the momentum back holding her serve to love.

Serena replied in just the same fashion forcing a tie-break which she won 7-4 on her second set point which surprisingly umpire Jane Harvey had called a let, but neither player heard.

Serena kept the pressure up in the second set breaking in the sixth game, but a worried-looking Venus put up a fight and broke back straight away to trail 4-3.

Serena broke again, stealing her nerve serving for the title to love and taking the title on her first match point.

The sisters take home a total of 729,000 pounds between them from the final - Serena winning 486,000 pounds and Venus 243,000.