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| Bartoli Vanquishes Nerves and Lisicki in Wimbledon Final | Bartoli Vanquishes Nerves and Lisicki in Wimbledon Final |
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| WIMBLEDON, England — There are many ways to count how long Marion Bartoli waited for her first Grand Slam title. This year’s Wimbledon was her 47th major tournament. She reached her first Grand Slam final here six years ago but did not play another until Saturday. She had not won a tournament since October 2011. | WIMBLEDON, England — There are many ways to count how long Marion Bartoli waited for her first Grand Slam title. This year’s Wimbledon was her 47th major tournament. She reached her first Grand Slam final here six years ago but did not play another until Saturday. She had not won a tournament since October 2011. |
| Bartoli, 28, counted it in hours: hours of dreams since she was 6, when she was taught the game by her father, Walter, who was her coach until earlier this year. | Bartoli, 28, counted it in hours: hours of dreams since she was 6, when she was taught the game by her father, Walter, who was her coach until earlier this year. |
| “For a tennis player, you start to play like at 5 or 6 years old,” she said. “When you decide to turn pro, your dream is to win a Grand Slam. You dream about it every day. You think about every day. So when it happens, when it actually happens, you feel like, you know, you achieve something that you dream about for maybe millions of hours.” | |
| The wait ended Saturday when Bartoli defeated Sabine Lisicki, 6-1, 6-4, in 81 minutes to win Wimbledon. | |
| In a tournament marked by upsets and injuries, it seemed appropriate that the champion was such an unusual player, one called quirky and eccentric for her on-court routines and her tennis upbringing. | In a tournament marked by upsets and injuries, it seemed appropriate that the champion was such an unusual player, one called quirky and eccentric for her on-court routines and her tennis upbringing. |
| “I’ve never been afraid of being special, never,” Bartoli said. “I think it’s kind of boring to be like everyone.” | “I’ve never been afraid of being special, never,” Bartoli said. “I think it’s kind of boring to be like everyone.” |
| Bartoli is the first player, female or male, to win Wimbledon playing two-handed on both sides. At a stocky 5 feet 7 inches, she is dwarfed by amazons who dominate the game. The No. 15 seed, she is only the third player seeded outside the top 10 to win Wimbledon in the Open era. | Bartoli is the first player, female or male, to win Wimbledon playing two-handed on both sides. At a stocky 5 feet 7 inches, she is dwarfed by amazons who dominate the game. The No. 15 seed, she is only the third player seeded outside the top 10 to win Wimbledon in the Open era. |
| She learned to play on a modest court, with a sometimes leaky roof, in the small town of Retournac, France, with her father, a doctor, her only coach. She often practiced from 10 p.m. until midnight so her training would not interfere with her schooling. She said her training made her “as strong as wood.” | She learned to play on a modest court, with a sometimes leaky roof, in the small town of Retournac, France, with her father, a doctor, her only coach. She often practiced from 10 p.m. until midnight so her training would not interfere with her schooling. She said her training made her “as strong as wood.” |
| Bartoli said the final would be a battle of nerves, and she won that in a rout. Before her semifinal against Kirsten Flipkens, she took a 30-minute nap. Before the final, she was singing and dancing in the locker room. | Bartoli said the final would be a battle of nerves, and she won that in a rout. Before her semifinal against Kirsten Flipkens, she took a 30-minute nap. Before the final, she was singing and dancing in the locker room. |
| Lisicki, the 23-year-old No. 23 seed from Germany, was in her first Grand Slam final, and it seemed both players were nervous at the start. Bartoli double-faulted to give Lisicki a break in the first game, but Lisicki gave it right back. Lisicki also double-faulted on break point, with a terrible toss on her second serve, a problem throughout the match. | Lisicki, the 23-year-old No. 23 seed from Germany, was in her first Grand Slam final, and it seemed both players were nervous at the start. Bartoli double-faulted to give Lisicki a break in the first game, but Lisicki gave it right back. Lisicki also double-faulted on break point, with a terrible toss on her second serve, a problem throughout the match. |
| It was the beginning of an erratic performance by Lisicki, who had won the hearts of the crowds after her upset of No. 1 Serena Williams in the fourth round. | It was the beginning of an erratic performance by Lisicki, who had won the hearts of the crowds after her upset of No. 1 Serena Williams in the fourth round. |
| Lisicki was broken two more times in losing the first set, badly overhitting ground strokes and unable to control her serve, her biggest weapon. | Lisicki was broken two more times in losing the first set, badly overhitting ground strokes and unable to control her serve, her biggest weapon. |
| Bartoli was laser-focused and hitting laser shots. She was terrific at the net and quick and creative at the baseline. She said she overheard compliments from Billie Jean King, who was sitting in the royal box. | Bartoli was laser-focused and hitting laser shots. She was terrific at the net and quick and creative at the baseline. She said she overheard compliments from Billie Jean King, who was sitting in the royal box. |
| “She was turning to the person next to her: ‘Did you see that shot? Did you see this one?’ ” Bartoli said. “I was like, Yeah, Billie Jean, you see I can play some great tennis.” | “She was turning to the person next to her: ‘Did you see that shot? Did you see this one?’ ” Bartoli said. “I was like, Yeah, Billie Jean, you see I can play some great tennis.” |
| Lisicki had been in holes before, down a break in the third set against Williams and against Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals. The Centre Court crowd tried to rouse her as she took the opening game of the second set. | Lisicki had been in holes before, down a break in the third set against Williams and against Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals. The Centre Court crowd tried to rouse her as she took the opening game of the second set. |
| But Bartoli would not let Lisicki into the match. She saved four break points in the second game of the set, then broke Lisicki in the next one. | But Bartoli would not let Lisicki into the match. She saved four break points in the second game of the set, then broke Lisicki in the next one. |
| Lisicki’s emotions got the better of her. Serving at 1-3, she laughed after another bad toss. But after two double faults, Lisicki was in tears, covering her face with her racket. Bartoli broke her again to go up by 4-1. | Lisicki’s emotions got the better of her. Serving at 1-3, she laughed after another bad toss. But after two double faults, Lisicki was in tears, covering her face with her racket. Bartoli broke her again to go up by 4-1. |
| “I was a bit sad that I couldn’t perform the way I can,” Lisicki said. | “I was a bit sad that I couldn’t perform the way I can,” Lisicki said. |
| Lisicki started to come back, saving three match points and breaking Bartoli to get to 3-5. But the second time Bartoli served for the championship, she did not let it go, holding at love and closing with an ace. | Lisicki started to come back, saving three match points and breaking Bartoli to get to 3-5. But the second time Bartoli served for the championship, she did not let it go, holding at love and closing with an ace. |
| “I played some shots out of the blue that I never tried even in practice, and finishing by an ace, for me, that is beyond amazing,” said Bartoli, who is not known for her serve. | “I played some shots out of the blue that I never tried even in practice, and finishing by an ace, for me, that is beyond amazing,” said Bartoli, who is not known for her serve. |
| Lisicki admitted that she was overwhelmed by the occasion and drained from a difficult draw, with three-set victories over No. 1 Williams, No. 4 Radwanska and No. 14 Sam Stosur. Bartoli, who did not lose a set in the tournament, is the first woman to win the Wimbledon title without facing a top-10 seed. | Lisicki admitted that she was overwhelmed by the occasion and drained from a difficult draw, with three-set victories over No. 1 Williams, No. 4 Radwanska and No. 14 Sam Stosur. Bartoli, who did not lose a set in the tournament, is the first woman to win the Wimbledon title without facing a top-10 seed. |
| “After those two weeks, having so many hard matches is draining in the end of the day,” Lisicki said. “I think Marion was fresher today.” | “After those two weeks, having so many hard matches is draining in the end of the day,” Lisicki said. “I think Marion was fresher today.” |
| After the handshakes, Bartoli ran to her box to hug her father. | After the handshakes, Bartoli ran to her box to hug her father. |
| “When I see her so radiant, I am happy for her and happy about what we did together,” Walter Bartoli told the French news media. | “When I see her so radiant, I am happy for her and happy about what we did together,” Walter Bartoli told the French news media. |
| However difficult the Bartolis’ professional split was, a fresh perspective provided by a team from the French tennis federation has lifted Marion Bartoli to new heights. | However difficult the Bartolis’ professional split was, a fresh perspective provided by a team from the French tennis federation has lifted Marion Bartoli to new heights. |
| “How things got together with everyone being a specialist in their own area made a big difference,” said Amélie Mauresmo, the 2006 Wimbledon champion and the French Fed Cup captain. | “How things got together with everyone being a specialist in their own area made a big difference,” said Amélie Mauresmo, the 2006 Wimbledon champion and the French Fed Cup captain. |
| Mauresmo has been an adviser, too, and Bartoli said Mauresmo had helped her most in dealing with stress and not wasting energy off the court. | Mauresmo has been an adviser, too, and Bartoli said Mauresmo had helped her most in dealing with stress and not wasting energy off the court. |
| “Hard work, intensity, fun and easygoing, these things can go together,” Mauresmo said. | “Hard work, intensity, fun and easygoing, these things can go together,” Mauresmo said. |
| Bartoli found a memorable way to repay Mauresmo, whose birthday was Friday. | Bartoli found a memorable way to repay Mauresmo, whose birthday was Friday. |
| “Happy birthday, girl,” said Bartoli, holding up the Venus Rosewater Dish after the trophy presentation. | “Happy birthday, girl,” said Bartoli, holding up the Venus Rosewater Dish after the trophy presentation. |
| For so long, Bartoli had worked outside the federation, refusing to take part in the Fed Cup because team policy did not allow her to come with her personal coach, then her father. That cost her the chance to play at last year’s Olympics. On Saturday, Bartoli said that the “Fed Cup spirit” of Mauresmo and her teammate Kristina Mladenovic in her box carried her. Bartoli added that the federation president, Jean Gachassin, was in tears as he waited to greet her afterward. | |
| “She needed to find a good working relationship and a way to really find personal happiness,” Walter Bartoli said. “I really salute her courage and her decisions.” | “She needed to find a good working relationship and a way to really find personal happiness,” Walter Bartoli said. “I really salute her courage and her decisions.” |
| That is a long way from rock bottom, which was how Marion Bartoli described her mind-set in March. | That is a long way from rock bottom, which was how Marion Bartoli described her mind-set in March. |
| “I was feeling so lost,” she said. “I was feeling like I couldn’t focus while I was on the tennis court, which is unusual for me.” | “I was feeling so lost,” she said. “I was feeling like I couldn’t focus while I was on the tennis court, which is unusual for me.” |
| But by Saturday night, she said she could get a cramp from smiling so much. And Bartoli, who paints as a hobby, had a new idea for a composition. | But by Saturday night, she said she could get a cramp from smiling so much. And Bartoli, who paints as a hobby, had a new idea for a composition. |
| “Lately I’ve been working on some landscapes of some places that remind of good vibes,” she said. “So I will do London for sure.” | “Lately I’ve been working on some landscapes of some places that remind of good vibes,” she said. “So I will do London for sure.” |