WIMBLEDON, England ? Tennis has a new superstar. And she’s just 17.

Completing an improbable journey from Siberia to the pinnacle of the sport, Maria Sharapova beat two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 Saturday to win Wimbledon for her first Grand Slam title.

She’s the first Russian to win a Wimbledon singles title, the third-youngest women’s champion in history and, at No. 13, the lowest-seeded women’s winner since Wimbledon began seeding players in 1927.

“I never, never in my life expected this to happen so fast,” Sharapova said. “It’s always been my dream to come here and to win. It was never in my mind I would do it this year.”

After Williams hit a forehand into the net to end the 73-minute match, Sharapova dropped to her knees at the baseline and covered her face with her hands. She raised her arms and walked to the net. Williams walked around the net and the two players embraced.

Sharapova pumped her fists, whacked a ball into the stands and climbed into the guest box to hug her father, Yuri.

Turning to Williams, Sharapova said, “I have to take this trophy from you for one year. I’m sorry. … I’m sure we’re going to be here one more time and hopefully many more times in other Grand Slams and fight for the trophy.”

“It wasn’t my day,” a gracious Williams told the Centre Court crowd. “Maria played a really good match. Congratulations on your first Grand Slam.”

Sharapova, playing in her first Grand Slam final, put on a virtuoso performance against the six-time Grand Slam winner. She showed no signs of nerves and kept Williams on the defensive, hitting 17 winners and only 11 errors. It was the most lopsided women’s final since Steffi Graf beat Monica Seles 6-1, 6-2 in 1992.

Russia's Maria Sharapova reacts after winning match point to defeat Serena Williams in the finals at Wimbledon. Sharapova won, 6-1, 6-4, Saturday in Wimbledon, England, and captured her first Grand Slam title.

“I don’t know how I won,” Sharapova said. “I don’t know what the tactics were. I was in my own little world — I don’t know what that world was really.”

On the men’s side, defending champion Roger Federer and Andy Roddick won their semifinal matches Saturday to set up a championship showdown between the top two seeded players.

Federer needed 29 minutes and four match points to complete a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over Sebastien Grosjean, extending his grass-court winning streak to 23 matches.

Roddick beat 20-year-old Mario Ancic, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to reach his first Wimbledon final.

It will be the first Wimbledon men’s final between the top two seeded players since 1982, when No. 2 Jimmy Connors beat No. 1 John McEnroe.

“He’s the best and I want to go for a match up against him,” Roddick said. “We’re both going to come out firing. I can’t wait.”