Haunted by losses in her prior three Grand Slams, Serena Williams admits she spent some sleepless nights coping with loss.
The world No. 1 attained a major dream with total recall: Williams recalled her role as the game's greatest closer sealing her 7-5, 6-3 win over Angelique Kerber to claim her seventh Wimbledon title and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam championship.
Watch: Serena Stops Kerber In Wimbledon Final For 22nd Grand Slam Championship
"This tournament I came in with just a different mind frame and mindset," Williams told the afterward. "I knew, you know, in Melbourne I thought I played well, but honestly Angelique played great, she played better. She just played really good tennis."
"So I knew that going into this one, I just needed to keep calm, be confident, just play the tennis that I've been playing for well over a decade."
A sense of perspective also aided Williams in equaling Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles.
Rather than dwelling on her three-set loss to Kerber in the Australian Open final in January or last month's straight-sets French Open final defeat to Garbine Muguruza, Williams focused on the positive. Without playing her best earlier in the season, she still contested all three majors this year and seven of the last eight Grand Slam finals.
"I've just felt, you know, a lot of pressure, I guess," Williams said. "I put a lot of that pressure on myself. Obviously had some really tough losses. But, you know, if you look at the big picture, I was just thinking about, you know, getting to three finals, Grand Slam finals. In the past eight Grand Slams, I don't know how many finals I've been in. It's pretty impressive.
"I had to start looking at positives, not focusing on that one loss per tournament which really isn't bad, and for anyone else on this tour would be completely happy about it. Once I started focusing more on the positives, I realized that I'm pretty good. Then I started playing a little better."
The world No. 1 finished the victory flashing a pair of peace signs signifying 22 Grand Slam titles. Given the 34-year-old Serena is the oldest woman in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam and has won nine of her 22 majors after age 30, will she now set her sights on Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slams?
"Oh, God, no. One thing I learned about last year is to enjoy the moment. I'm definitely going to enjoy this," William said.
She didn't have much time to savor the singles milestone as Serena and sister Venus were due back on court to play the doubles final.
Fourteen years after dethroning Venus to win her first Wimbledon, Serena says she's driven by pursuing her dreams and inspiring others to do the same.
"That's why I ultimately feel like I'm here. I've been given such a great opportunity, I've been given so much talent," Williams said. "I've been put in a position where I can inspire females, ladies, and men as well. Anyone, any kid out there that wants to be something, has dreams.
"I've had great dreams. I didn't come from any money or anything, but I did have a dream and I did have hope. That's really all you need."
Photo credit: Stephen White/CameraSport