Garbiñe Muguruza, first Spanish woman to reach a Wimbledon final in 19 years, loses battle against Serena Williams

Garbiñe Muguruza, 21, a Spanish national who is half-Venezuelan and was born in Caracas, was seeded 20th and made the USA's top player work hard for her 21st Grand Slam title, three of which she has won this year.

As well as the first Grand Slam final for a Spanish woman since the Millennium, it was also the first of Muguruza's career, but she had top-seeded Williams on her toes as she fought back from 5-1 down and two breaks down in the second set.

In the first game, Muguruza broke Williams' powerful serve, taking advantage of the American's three double faults.

Williams found herself 0-30 down in game three and Muguruza was on the verge of being a double-break ahead, but the Spaniard missed a return on the second serve.

This momentary lapse on Muguruza's part gave Williams a renewed surge of energy and, despite bringing her double fault total up to five, clinched the set 6-4.

In the second set, Williams - who had already been beaten once by Muguruza, at Roland Garros last year - was broken to love at 5-2, and the Spanish player began to regain confidence as Serena's game became strewn with unforced errors.

Muguruza broke Serena's serve twice, saved a matchpoint and almost levelled at 5-4 on her fifth break point with a powerful forehand, as she began to display some of her best play ever.

The multiple Wimbledon champion was on shaky ground by this point, but her rival's double fault at the start of the 10th game saw the Spaniard go 0-40 down.

Muguruza made it so difficult for Williams throughout that the American was not even sure, by the end of the second set, who the winner actually was - but roars from the thousands of spectators told her that she had clinched it, once again beating Muguruza 6-4.

Williams is now only one Grand Slam title behind the legendary German, Steffi Graf.

A month off turning 34, she is also now the oldest Wimbledon Open champion - until yesterday, the legendary Martina Navratilova held this honour.

The nine-times All England title-holder was in the Royal Box with her wife, ex-model and 1990 Miss USSR winner Julia Lemigova, watching the ground-breaking match.

As for Muguruza, her spectacular performance against Williams - whom 1999 champion Lindsay Davenport described as 'the ultimate sportswoman" - means the Spaniard will go up to world number nine when the ATP rankings are updated on Monday.