Serena Williams resisted a thrilling second-set fightback from Agnieszka Radwanska to secure a fifth Wimbledon title this afternoon.

With grand slam final debutant Radwanska playing despite a respiratory problem, it appeared the sixth-seeded Williams could choose how long she wanted the match to last when she took the opening set for the loss of one game in 35 minutes.

But Radwanska - the first Pole to reach a Wimbledon singles final in 75 years and aiming to take the world number one position with a win - showed admirable resilience and a fair slice of talent in the second set to level the match.

Williams had not previously won 13 grand slams without having the heart for the battle, though, and made it 14 with a scintillating third-set display that included a 49-second game of four aces that took her tournament tally into three figures and ended with her winning 6-1 5-7 6-2.

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