Serena Out-Powered; Muguruza Wins French Open

It wasn't a matter of being intimidated by the most powerful female tennis player on the planet.

Instead, for Garbiñe Muguruza, it was down to not being intimidated by the net.

The French Open's No 4 seed decided to disdain double faults and keep up her barrage of howitzers on the second serve to claim the 2016 Women's Singles title, 7-5,6-4.

Ironically, after all that blasting from the baseline, match point occurred in a moment of silence.

Dudette didn't even realize her lob was the match point -- and neither did the crowd -- until Williams raised her hands in concession.

Muguruza thus overcame nine double-faults to keep up the pressure, which resulted in her becoming the first Spaniard to hoist the hardware on Roland Garros clay since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario did it in 1998.

Not bad for someone in their first clay-court final.

Classy as ever, Williams shook off any hint of a thigh injury impeding her game. Justifiably so, as even extra strength in steps wouldn't have gotten her to the tram lines in time to return the Spaniard's laser-accurate volleys.

It's a nod to Serena's dominance that this is now the third straight Grand Slam event that's seen an opponent emerge triumphant. Perhaps the page is turning for the 34-year-old. Wimbledon could well be telling.

But for now, the spotlight's shining elsewhere. Again.