"You would tell me you wanted to be like Serena Williams"- Former Wimbledon finalist Zina Garrison recalls as Clervie Ngounoue wins 2023 girls' title

Serena Williams' legacy is unparalleled in women's tennis. Former Wimbledon finalist Zina Garrison recalled how Wimbledon girls' singles winner Clervie Ngounoue used to tell her about emulating Williams during Ngounoue's childhood.

Seeded second in the tournament, Ngounoue won her maiden junior Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon by defeating Nikola Bartunkova, 6-2, 6-2 in the final on Sunday. This was the second successive year an American won the junior girls' Wimbledon title after Liv Hovde's triumph in 2022.

Garrison, a Wimbledon finalist in 1990, commented on Ngounoue's junior Wimbledon title and recalled how the 16-year-old used to tell her that she wanted to be like tennis icon Serena Williams.

"Clervie congrats way to go. This make all those times when you were 6 or 7 and you would tell me that you wanted to be like Serena. Then ask me if I sent a video to Serena to show her your two handed backhand. Keep going Coach Zina," Garrison wrote on Twitter.

Garrison also heaped praise on Ngounoue's father, Aime Ngounoue, a tennis coach himself.

"Love this picture. Dad is true one of the best coaches to start kids I know. Way to go Amie and family. WTF proud," she added.

Garrison reached the final of the 1990 Wimbledon Championships, thus becoming the first African-American woman since Althea Gibson to reach a Grand Slam final. However, her fairytale run was ended by Martina Navratilova.

Ngounoue, meanwhile, had a dominant run to win her maiden Wimbledon junior singles title. The American did not drop a single set en route to her title-winning run.

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"She felt like she owned it" - Zina Garrison on Serena Williams' Wimbledon glory

Womens Final

Serena Williams won her maiden Wimbledon singles title in 2002, beating her sister and two-time defending champion Venus Williams in the final.

Zina Garrison reflected on Serena Williams' triumph in 2002. Speaking at a podcast a few years ago, Garrison and her co-host discussed the career of the American tennis great.

Speaking about Serena's 2002 Wimbledon win, Garrison lauded the 23-time Grand Slam winner.

"The intensity she brought to that court; she felt like she owned it," Zina Garrison said. "She started to believe and I think it took over from there."

During the 2022 Wimbledon, Serena Williams did not drop a single set and also attained the World No. 1 rank for the first time after winning the tournament.