Wimbledon, England ? Venus Williams leaned against the wall behind the baseline for several seconds, gasping for air.

At the other end of the court, Lindsay Davenport doubled over, using her racket like a cane to rest a bothersome back.

Williams had just hit a forehand to win a 25-shot exchange in the third set, the longest point in the longest Wimbledon women’s final on record, and neither she nor Davenport looked particularly eager to resume play.

They did, of course, and 10 minutes later, Williams’ stamina and strokes allowed her to complete a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 9-7 victory over Davenport on Saturday for her third Wimbledon championship and first Grand Slam title in nearly four years.

Barely, just barely, better than the top-ranked Davenport on this cloudy and chilly afternoon, Williams pulled off two impressive comebacks all at once.

Venus Williams celebrates her victory at Wimbledon. Williams defeated Lindsay Davenport in the women's final Saturday in Wimbledon, England.

She is the first woman in 70 years to win at the All England Club after facing a championship point, and she returned to the top of the tennis world after two years of personal and professional setbacks.

Once No. 1 in the world, then just second best in her family, Williams had won only one tournament in the last 13 months and tumbled in the rankings. At No. 14, she is Wimbledon’s lowest-seeded women’s champion.

“It has special meaning,” Williams said. “I wasn’t supposed to win.”

She hadn’t been past the quarterfinals at a major since losing the 2003 Wimbledon final to younger sister Serena Williams while struggling with a torn abdominal muscle. That was just part of a long line of injuries and losses, difficulties that were easy to deal with compared to the shooting death of half-sister Yetunde in September 2003.

Williams combined with Davenport to script a 2-hour, 45-minute drama. It’s a lot to live up to for Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, who meet today in a rematch of the 2004 men’s final.

Roddick’s shirt, shorts and arms were covered in dirt and grass stains from dives and tumbles Saturday as he completed a 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (10), 7-6 (5) semifinal victory over Thomas Johansson. The match was suspended because of rain in the first set Friday, when Federer easily beat Lleyton Hewitt, and resumed Saturday.