WIMBLEDON, England — For the third time since her return to tennis, Serena Williams was one victory away from equaling Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
For the third time, Williams faltered, losing the Wimbledon final Saturday to Simona Halep, 6-2, 6-2.
“She really played out of her mind, so congratulations, Simona,” Williams said in an on-court interview.
Asked if she had ever played a better match than that, Halep said, “Never.”
It was the 11th Wimbledon final for Williams. It was the first for Halep, but Halep made the new opportunity count, becoming the first Romanian player to win a singles title at the All England Club.