And that just about wraps proceedings for the day. However, we will be back tomorrow at about 18:00 IST for the men's final, which, if played on paper, could go on for about 365 days.
A proud moment as the champion, Kvitova, poses for the photographers.
Sharapova, who famously texted her dad after her lone Wimbledon victory way back in 2004, receives the runners-up trophy.
Her conqueror, Kvitova, though, is pleased as punch, no tears of joy so far, as she holds aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish for the first time in her career.
The Czech closes it out emphatically with an ace down the T. An impeccable service game to close out what has been a dream run for the Czech girl. She completely deserves the title. Sharapova, everyone's favourite to triumph in the final, couldn't get going. She stopped, stuttered, paused and performed histrionics when her service failed her. Kvitova had no such problems.
Game, set, match, championship, Kvitova.
Three championship points for Kvitova.
Kvitova, two points away from the title...
20:00 Arguably Sharapova's most important service game and she wins it emphatically with a hold to love. Kvitova will now have the chance to serve for the tournament. 5-4 Kvitova.
19:57 Kvitova, who has been in philanthropic before in this match, closes out a relatively easy service game thanks to a couple of unforced errors from Sharapova to be four points away from lifting her first ever Grand Slam. 5-3 Kvitova.
19:52 Again a case of one step forward and two steps back for Sharapova. In spite of her service having a stinker, she has managed to stay alive in the second set. But then again, Sharapova will have to serve once in two games. And that's her nemesis at the moment. She promptly hands back the initiative to a pumped up Kvitova. 4-3 Kvitova.
19:49 And just like that Sharapova is back into the set and the championship. At deuce, Kvitova has a marvellous opportunity to fashion a game point but she has an ugly swipe from near the net when she has better options available. With a break point in hand, Sharapova slams a weak second serve with brute power to restore parity. 3-3
19:44 An old school ding-dong finally comes to an end when Kvitova creams a forehand crosscourt winner on the Sharapova second serve. Both players had opportunities; Sharapova wasted a couple of game points but Kvitova's choice of groundstrokes won her the game as well as the break of serve. 3-2 Kvitova.
19:35 At last something goes right for Sharapova. Always a willing screamer, Sharapova screams a forehand past Kvitova to have an opening. And she completes the break when she cooks a perfect lob to a mis-timed smash. 2-2.
19:31 That will do very nicely for the Russian. Keeping things simple and forcing the errors from the razquet of Kvitova, Sharapova at last has has a love service game. 2-1 Kvitova.
19:29 Sharapova had an opening at deuce but Kvitova won the big points thanks to her first serves. 2-0 Kvitova Sharapova very badly needs a hold to love to start settling into the game.
19:22 Oh dear me. Sharapova looked to be cantering at 30-0 but a blazing forehand crosscourt return from Kvitova, a double fault again, and then a super forehand pass down the line hands Kvitova a break immediately. Kvitova has monstered Sharapova so far. 1-0 Kvitova.
Sharapova will open proceedings in the second set. And she will have to improve her first serve percentages..... drastically.
19:18 That will hurt after Sharapova. After saving a set point on her serve the previous game, the Russian cannot do anything about Kvitova's serve. The Czech, rather deservingly, takes the first set 6-3.
19:16 Case of so near yet so far for Kvitova. She almost wins the first set but Sharapova just about hangs on to the coat-tails to take the set into a ninth game. Sharapova starts off the with a double fault but later finds a bearings to serve the first ace of the game. Kvitova does a lot of spade work from deep inside her baseline to save a couple of game points but the Russian just about overpowers the Czech. 5-3 Kvitova.
19:07 It's largely been a tale of two serves; one malfunctioning and the other which is more than effective. Kvitova dishes more of the same which Sharapova finds too hot to handle. 5-2 Kvitova.
19:05 Sharapova served about a dozen double faults in the semis and she has set about in earnest, to repeat that feat. While she got lucky in the last game, she is not so lucky this time as Kvitova takes advantage to break Sharapova for the second time in the match. 4-2 Kvitova.
18:59 A relatively easy hold for Kvitova, something which both players have not been able to achieve thus far. 3-2 Kvitova.
18:56 Sharapova double-faulted for a 15-30 disadvantage but picked the pieces to hold serve. Both the players are struggling to get their first serve percentages up. 2-2
18:51 That was close but Kvitova just about manages to hold serve. Sharapova had a break point but found the net and a couple of points later the Czech girl picked up a superb forehand pass to win the game. 2-1 Kvitova
18:43 This is exactly why Kvitova has been touted to become a world beater. A forehand pass alongside the tramline and an error from the racquet of Sharapova gives the Czech an opening at 0-30 and she utilises it to perfection to break the Russian. 1-1.
18:41 This is a strong start from the favourite, Sharapova. Capitalising on some poor first serves from Kvitova, Sharapova races along to a 0-30 lead. Kvitova does well to bring it back to 30-30 but Sharapova takes the next two points to gain an early foothold in the final. 1-0 Sharapova.
The pre-match rituals are done away with. Kvitova to serve.
Road to the final:-
Petra Kvitova
1st round - Alexa Glatch
2nd round - Anne Keothavong
3rd round - Roberta Vinci
4th round - Yanina Wickmayer
QF - Tsvetana Pironkova
SF - Victoria Azarenka
Maria Sharapova
1st round - Anna Chakvetadze
2nd round - Laura Robson
3rd round - Klara Zakopalova
4th round - Peng Shuai
QF - Dominika Cibulkova
SF - Sabine Lisicki
Kvitova might be a surprising finalist but she does have some decent form with her. She reached the final of the AEGON championships in Eastbourne just before the beginning of Wimbledon.
The players are taking the long, winding walk from the dressing room to the centre court. This is the 125th year of the Championships and they continue with the same tried, tested traditions. And it is a joy to watch.
Bouquets in hand, both the players make their way out to centre court and the crowd are very generous with their applause.
Still about 15 minutes for the match to begin.
Today's contestants
Maria Sharapova
Her shrieks and grunts aside, Sharapova is a class player who likes the big occasions. If she can beat Kvitova, it will be the Russian's first Grand Slam since Australia in 2008 and her second Wimbledon; her first was way back in 2004, when she announced herself on the world stage.
Petra Kvitova
Touted by many to be the next big thing in women's tennis, not necessarily a good moniker these days, Kvitova has gradually grown into the tournament and accounted for Belarus's no. 4 seed Victoria Azarenka in the semifinal. While this match may have come too soon for Kvitova, do keep an eye out for her.
Hello and welcome to The Hindu's live coverage of the Wimbledon women's final between Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova.
