The heavily favoured Williams beat surprising finalist Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1 for her sixth Grand Slam title. She also won Wimbledon in 2000, 2001 and 2005.

At number 31, Williams became the lowest-ranked women's winner in Wimbledon history. Plagued in recent years by injuries that sent her ranking sliding, she rediscovered her championship form this week at the All England Club.

En route to the final she lost a total of 17 games while beating 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova on Wednesday, 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova on Thursday and French Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic on Friday.

Venus served out the first game at love, then broke serve when Bartoli double-faulted. They played 19 minutes before Bartoli won a game to make it 3-1, but she double-faulted for the fourth time for set point, and Williams converted by charging forward to put away a backhand volley.

The 19th-ranked Bartoli held serve to close to 3-1. But Williams hit a backhand winner to break serve for 5-1, and closed out the victory with a 124-mph service winner that handcuffed a weary Bartoli.

The crowd roared as Williams raised her arms, grinned and, after shaking hands with her opponent, let out with an exultant "Woooooo!"

With Wimbledon paying equal prize money to men and women for the first time this year, Williams won 1.407 million dollars. Bartoli received 703,500 dollars.