VENUS Williams insisted she always believed Wimbledon title number four and a place in the All England Club Hall of Fame was on the agenda this year.

The American crushed Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1 to join Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King as one of just four women to have won four or more Wimbledon titles during the Open era.

The 27-year-old added to her 2000, 2001 and 2005 conquests as she battered her French opponent into submission in just 90 minutes.

But despite arriving in SW19 as the 23rd seed following an injury- plagued couple of years, the former world No.1 wasn't surprised to be leaving with the title.

"I'm not shocked to have won," she said. "I know how much work I've put in and win or lose I wouldn't have felt like I've had a bad year.

"I feel like I've had some bad losses that were tough, but you learn from them and it makes you stronger.

"I'm such a determined person and sometimes it takes a while to realise why you were able to win. But then you realise you were in the zone and no one was going to beat you.

"As long as I'm fit I always feel like I have so much to give on court.

This is my sixth (Grand) Slam and I want some more.

"My main goal is to stay fit as when I'm fit I feel like I can beat anyone."

Williams sealed the match with a 124- m i l e - a n hour serve that struck Bartoli on the wrist in what was a fitting conclusion to the championship.

The two-time US Open champion's raw power and aggression have been features of the last fortnight, with fourth round victim Maria Sharapova conceding she had no answers to the Williams serve.

And Bartoli, who beat world No.1 Justine Henin in the semi-finals, came to a similar conclusion.

"Venus played some unbelievable tennis,"

said the 18th seed.

"She was serving at 120mph and was reaching some balls that I didn't think were possible to reach.

"When she plays like that I don't see how anyone can beat her - on grass she is the world No.1.

"I won't be that disappointed in a couple of days as I have achieved so much but right now it is hard to take."

Not surprisingly it was Williams, competing in her sixth Wimbledon final who settled the quicker, bursting into a 3-0 lead.

But her 22-year-old French opponent battled back and remained in a tight first set until Williams broke again at 5-4.

Williams upped the pace, and the volume, in the second set and an early break gave her total control.

But with the writing appearing to be on the wall Williams was forced to take an injury time out to have her left thigh strapped.

Sensing her chance Bartoli won the next game to love as the Centre Court crowd got behind the underdog. But any hopes of a comeback were soon dashed as Williams broke again at 4-1 before serving for the championship.

"I would never give up any of the other wins but this one is so different," added Williams.

"In the past I felt like I was playing championship form from the word go but this time I started slowly.

"I've had to overcome a lot of challenges, including being seeded low and because of that I feel fantastic.

"Quite obviously grass is a great surface for me. I know how to play on it and if I could pick any surface grass at Wimbledon would be it."