By Tennis Now Staff

Photo Credit: Clive Rose/ Getty

(July 7, 2012) -- Serena Williams won her fifth Wimbledon Singles title today, defeating Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 in a match delayed by rain in the second set.  Williams used her dominant serve to cruise through most of her service games, only facing two break points. She served 17 aces during the match, bringing her cumulative aces for the tournament to over 100 -- a women's record for Wimbledon.

Serena's last major title also came at the grass courts of the All-England Club, when she beat Vera Zvonareva in 2010. Her career since then has been beset with health issues, including two foot surgeries and pulmonary complications, and came on the heels of a dismal French Open performance, when Williams got ousted in the first round -- her earliest exit at a major in her career -- all of which made today's win more rewarding for her.

Serena beamed and hopped after receiving the Venus Rosewater Dish, and expressed her elation during the post-match, on-court interview. Radwanska, appearing in her first major final, was solemn during the ceremony; her voice broke as she answered questions after the match.

Serena and her sister Venus are still in the doubles draw, and will face Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in the final. The Williamses beat Americans Lisa Raymond and Liezel Huber 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals.

This is Serena's 14th major title, putting her at sixth in the list of players with the most singles titles behind Margaret Court (24), Steffi Graf (22), Helen Wills Moody (19), Chris Evert (18), and Martina Navratilova (18).