Mauresmo Captures First Ever Wimbledon

This time, it was legitimate. Six months after winning her first ever Grand Slam title at the Australian Open when Justine Henin-Hardenne retired due to stomach pain, Amelie Mauresmo backed it up with a gutsy comeback three set triumph over her nemesis 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to capture her first ever Wimbledon crown on Centre Court at the All England Club Saturday- winning her second career slam.

The 27 year-old top seed became the first Frenchwoman to win the prestigious major since Suzanne Lenglen in 1925. For Mauresmo, who showed nerves of steel finishing off Henin-Hardenne, it proved that she could come up big and get that final point without anyone doubting her.

"I don't want anyone to talk about my nerves anymore," the newly crowned champion sarcastically remarked to the audience during an on court interview with BBC's Sue Barker.

"The way it ended is different. Now I had this final moment, especially this final point."

It didn't start out well for Mauresmo, who lost her serve twice to drop the first set to Henin-Hardenne.

The five-time slam winner, who was trying to become the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam took it to a tight Mauresmo early on.

Playing aggressively by attacking the net and returning well, Henin-Hardenne broke to start the match by converting her third break chance with a backhand volley winner.

After Mauresmo held for 2-3, she got her first opportunity to break but couldn't cash in, allowing her 24 year-old Belgian opponent to escape for 4-2.

Just as she's done so often throughout her career after getting out of trouble, the No.3 seed took advantage of another opportunity to break again for 5-2. Serving well, Henin-Hardenne finished off the first set in style with an ace out wide to pull within a set of winning her first ever Wimbledon.

"You're 6-2 down against Justine in the final of a Grand Slam. You're not in such a great position," Mauresmo told herself during the changeover.

"I pumped myself up. I let it out a little bit. I yelled a little bit," she pointed out. "I was much more aggressive right from the beginning of that second set."

That second set would prove to be a different story. A refocused Mauresmo took eight of the first 10 points to go up an early break 2-0. Sharp from the outset and playing more aggressively, she held in the opening game before breaking Henin-Hardenne for the first time, converting a second break point when her opponent sailed a forehand long.

After another hold, the Frenchwoman was in position to go up two breaks but only some clutch volleys from Henin-Hardenne allowed her to escape for 1-3. The Belgian fought off another chance in the sixth game to stay alive 2-4. After the big hold, the resilient three-time French Open champ finally got the break she needed when a Mauresmo backhand floated long to get back on serve for 3-4.

Would Mauresmo collapse again? Not this time. Instead, she immediately answered the break with one of her own thanks to a nifty running crosscourt forehand pass. Serving for the set, she valiantly saved three break points before sealing it with one of her eight aces to level the match.

After each held in the first two games of the final set, Mauresmo made her move, getting a crucial early break thanks to a few of Henin-Hardenne's 20 unforced errors, including a forehand miss which gave the world No.1 her third break of the match.

"I wasn't playing my best tennis, far from that," a disappointed Henin-Hardenne lamented afterwards. "That's the kind of day that happens."

With Mauresmo serving and volleying extremely well, she wouldn't relinquish the break- dropping just five points on serve the entire set.

"[Mauresmo] never came down on her serve. She was serving great, a lot of first serves. That’s been probably the biggest difference between us today," added Henin-Hardenne.

With Mauresmo ahead 3-1, she pressed for a double break lead but was turned away again by Henin-Hardenne, who forced her to eventually serve out the championship.

The final game was symbolic of how far Mauresmo has come this year. After splitting the first four points thanks to two aces out wide and two Henin-Hardenne forehand winners, the No.1 seed reached championship point with a clutch forehand stab volley putaway. After following a missed toss with a nervous fault, she got her second serve in and then played exceptional defense to get in the point. When she ran down a Henin-Hardenne forehand and hit a backhand slice, it threw off the Belgian, who misfired another forehand into the net to give an ecstatic Mauresmo the championship.

Dropping to her knees in triumph, the excited new champion raised her arms before running up into the stands to celebrate with her coach and family.

"I was a little bit nervous on the match point which is probably understandable," she admitted. "But I was really focusing on the game, on what I had to do, on my serve, on my volley. That was about it."

"Now that I see all the names on the trophy, and my name is on there- Wow! That's not so bad," a proud Mauresmo boasted. "I was thinking about the trophy all morning, and then I got my hands on it. It was bizarre."

For Henin-Hardenne, it was a tough conclusion to a great six weeks. "I wasn’t maybe fresh enough to win this match. I don’t know," she explained after playing her 18th match in that span.

"It’s a bit hard to lose in the final here, but I have to keep [in mind] what went pretty well in the last few weeks. I played a lot, so now I will need a little bit of a break. It’s been pretty tough emotionally, mentally maybe more than physically in these last few weeks."

Winning Wimbledon meant a lot to Mauresmo, who kicked off a big weekend for France with the emphatic win. France later today will try to make it a banner two days when they take on Italy for the World Cup.

"I still can't believe it," an emotional Mauresmo added. "I did not really expect coming here, I wasn't feeling great. But then all of a sudden everything came together.

"It feels great. It's the most prestigious tournament in the world and it really is a special moment for me."

Bryans Complete Career Slam: Bob and Mike Bryan captured their first ever Wimbledon men's doubles championship by defeating Fabrice Santoro and Nenad Zimonjic in four sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

The No.1 seeded American twin brother duo completed a career doubles Grand Slam with the victory.

"It’s the most special of the titles. It was the last one," pleased brother Mike expressed to reporters. "We’ve been thinking about this Career Slam since we won the US Open and the Australian back to back. This was the last one to get and the one we’ve dreamed about our whole lives."

Their place in tennis history was sealed when Santoro returned a Mike Bryan serve long. Unable to contain his excitement, he jumped on his brother in celebration of their remarkable achievement.

"I told Bob when I hugged him ‘We got them all, man, we got them all!’ It’s the best feeling in the world. It’s so hard to win one. To have all four, and they’ve happened so quick over the last two years, it’s pretty cool. Especially to share it with your twin brother."

Federer Goes For Four-Peat Against Nadal: Three-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer aims for his fourth in a row at the All England Club later today against two-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal.

The two best players in the world are pitted in a rematch a month after Nadal repeated at Roland Garros with a four set win over Federer to improve to 4-0 against him this year. Federer is 55-0 against everyone else.

Nadal takes a 6-1 match record against Federer into the match, having won the last five. He'll attempt to become the first male to sweep both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Bjorn Borg in 1980.

On the line will be Federer's grass court record 47 match win streak. During his impressive run to the final, he hasn't dropped a set. The last champion to not lose a set en route to the title was Borg in 1976.