Serena rallies to top Venus

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- As Serena Williams waited for her Wimbledon trophy, she chatted and laughed with her big sister. Venus then asked an official to capture the moment with a quick photo.
Yes, the relationship was as strong as ever after yet another sibling showdown, this one marked by Venus' valiant effort to win despite a strained abdominal muscle.
Serena won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 Saturday -- her sixth Grand Slam title and her second straight at Wimbledon.
"I had to tell myself to look at the ball and nothing else," she said. "It's really tough. It shows what a great champion Venus is. She's really inspiring for me."
Venus aggravated the abdominal injury and hurt her groin in the semifinals, and she didn't practice Friday. Two hours before the final she warmed up for only 10 minutes before limping off the court, raising fears she might not play.
Led early
But she did -- and after one set she led.
"I came out here because I thought the people, the fans, deserved a final," Venus told the crowd during the trophy ceremony.
Later, Venus said she also felt pressure to play because the match was against her sister. The family drew boos at Indian Wells, Calif., in 2001 after Venus withdrew with knee tendinitis shortly before her semifinal against Serena.
"Everyone's quite familiar with the history," Venus said. "I had to at least show up."
For the first hour, Venus appeared largely uninhibited by injury. The sore abdomen has bothered her off and on for two months, but she chased down shots in the corners, smacked crosscourt winners and hit her serve at up to 110 mph.
But the velocity of her serves gradually fell off, and as she hit one early in the third set, she clutched her side and grimaced. She lost the point and game to fall behind 1-0, then called a trainer and left the court to have the tape around her abdomen adjusted.
"I thought maybe she could give me a magic pill," Venus said with a smile.
Big ovation
She returned seven minutes later to a big ovation, and her first shot was a forehand return for a winner. But her next four returns were off, putting Serena ahead 2-0.
Venus twice held serve to stay in the set. But she double-faulted, hunching over in pain on her follow through, to fall behind 5-2, and Serena served out the victory.
When Venus hit a return long on match point, she walked to the net and embraced her younger sister. As Serena waved and blew kisses to the crowd, Venus sagged in her chair, exhaled and managed a smile.
"It tugged at my heartstrings watching Venus out there," said their mother, Oracene Price. "I didn't want her out there in the first place, but that's her choice. That's what probably made it difficult for Serena at the beginning."
Venus took the court with her upper left leg wrapped, and the bandage around her stomach was visible under her corset dress.
"With that type of injury, and what's required of those muscles during a service motion, I think she was very courageous to go out there and play," said Karen Davis, the trainer who treated Williams.
May be sidelined
Davis said Williams most likely will be sidelined two-to-four weeks, forcing her to miss the U.S. Fed Cup team's matches against Italy in Washington on July 19-20.
Serena's victory, however hollow, gives her titles in five of the past six major events. She has beaten her sister six times in a row, with the past five wins in major finals, including two at Wimbledon.
Venus has won four major titles, but none since beating Serena in the first all-Williams Grand Slam final at the 2001 U.S. Open. The family has won four consecutive titles at Wimbledon -- Venus was the champion in 2000 and 2001.