Bartoli Backhand ©Reuters / E. Keogh

There were consolations for Marion Bartoli in today's defeat in the women's final of the 2007 Championships. Things started well when the James Bond actor, Pierce Brosnan, who had watched her semi-final win over Justine Henin on Friday evening, left the 22-year-old Frenchwoman a bouquet of flowers and a letter in the locker room before she went on court for the final.

And her runner-up prize money of £350,000 ($700,000) is almost half her total career earnings. There will be consolation, too, in the knowledge that when the new rankings are issued on Monday Bartoli will be at a career-high 11. Had she beaten Venus Williams, she could have been inside the top 10.

She was also handed a bottle of champagne, which she passed on to her father and coach, Dr Walter Bartoli, to whom she paid full tribute. "I have worked with my dad for 16 years, and he always believed in me, whatever I was doing,” she said. “Before tennis, I was doing some classical dance, some ballet. In this tournament I was able to show everybody what I was able to do on a tennis court and this happened because of him.”

However, Bartoli could not banish the disappointment she felt. "I wanted this title so bad. To win this trophy and to hold it in your hands is the best reward you can imagine in tennis.I'm a competitor and I hate to lose, really hate to lose.

"But tomorrow I won't be that disappointed because I will realise what I achieved, which is awesome of course. And everybody will tell me that."

Though she reiterated her loyalty to her "home" Grand Slam, the French Open, Bartoli said she considers Wimbledon special because of its traditions. "To walk on Centre Court, to see the trophies, to see the Prince coming on court, you know you're a part of history. All this stuff makes this tournament really, really special. I mean, it's going to be forever that I will be the finalist of Wimbledon 07."

Tomorrow it will be back to what she calls "reality" for Bartoli. "I will be in my garden alone with my cat and everything will be back to the usual. I think it's a very good thing to bring you back to earth, to get back to work."

But, as she points out: "If I keep this up, I will be in the top ten for sure."

Written by Ronald Atkin

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Marion Bartoli

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• Bartoli Bundles Out Henin in Semi
• Venus Flies Through to Sixth Final