Images: Kvitova claims maiden Wimbledon crown

Czech Petra Kvitova created a major upset by shocking favourite Maria Sharapova to win her first Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-4 win in the women's singles Wimbledon final on Saturday.

Eighth seed Kvitova, collapsed to the turf in delight after clinching the title in the 10th game of the second set with her first ace of the match.

But it was desperately disappointing outcome for Russian fifth seed Sharapova, the 2004 champion who had been heavily favoured to win her fourth Grand Slam crown.

The 21-year-old Kvitova became only the third Czech woman to triumph at Wimbledon after nine-time champion Martina Navratilova and Jana Novotna, who were both in Centre Court's royal box to witness the victory.

Sharapova ultimately paid the price for a faltering service game which Kvitova was able to break regularly throughout.

A nervous start saw Kvitova and Sharapova both suffer breaks of serve in the opening two games.

Kvitova fought off a Sharapova break point in the third game before holding to take a 2-1 lead.

The decisive break came in the sixth game when Sharapova's serve let her down again. A double-fault gifted Kvitova a break for a 4-2, which swiftly became 5-2.

Sharapova's problems on serve continued in the next game, where she was forced to save a set point following some relentless groundstrokes from Kvitova before holding for 5-3.

Kvitova was not to be denied in the next game however, the Czech's left-handed spin on serve causing all sorts of problems for Sharapova as she successfully held to take the set.

Another poor service game from Sharapova saw her double-fault at 30-40 down to gift Kvitova her third break of the match.

But Sharapova was able to carve out a break to level at 2-2, when Kvitova failed to put away a routine smash which allowed the Russian to lob.

Sharapova's problems with her serve continued through the game. Her serve resurfaced in the next game however, and the former world number one was soon break point down.

Sharapova saved that one but Kvitova made no mistake to convert her second, bludgeoning an unstoppable forehand return past her opponent for a 3-2 lead.

Sharapova again conjured up a break to bounce back to 3-3 but her failure to address the vulnerability of her own serve proved costly once more as she was broken for the third time in the second set to trail 3-4.

Kvitova duly held for the remainder of the set to seal a deserved win with an ace.