WIMBLEDON, England -- Not this day, and not on Centre Court. Justine Henin simply did not have the game to beat Venus Williams.

"Her serve was unbelievable," Henin said.

Henin, a 19-year-old Belgian, was largely unknown until she reached the semifinals last month at the French Open. She took another big step in advancing to the Wimbledon final, where she lost to Williams 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 in the title match Sunday.

Slightly built with a fluid one-hand backhand, Henin won the second set, aided by a 15-minute rain delay. But Williams' powerful serve took a toll in the final set in which she broke the Belgian three times and captured her second straight Wimbledon championship.

"I think she can win Wimbledon a lot," Henin said.

Henin reached the final by defeating Jennifer Capriati 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals to end the American's bid for a third straight Grand Slam.

"She's a very good player, she's only 19," Williams said. "I've been in this position before in my first Grand Slam final and she did quite well. I didn't even win a set in mine."

Williams lost her first final in the 1997 U.S. Open. She has won all three since then -- two at Wimbledon and one in the U.S. Open -- and three of the last five Grand Slams.

Henin beat Williams this year on clay in Berlin. But the slick, quick grass was another story. Still, she did what she said she could -- compete with bigger, stronger players.

"I think that today I proved -- not all the match -- but during one set that size doesn't matter," said Henin, who is 5-foot-6 and 125 pounds.

"For sure, I'll be back. I'll be back next year," she said. "I will have many, many Wimbledons in my career. It's only my second Wimbledon. I'm in the final, so that's great."

But the personable French-speaking Belgian will not be carried away on a wave of success and self-congratulation. Nor will she go out and blow the 231,250 pounds ($324,400) prize money she has just earned.

"I'm far too sensible to go mad with the money I've earned. If I feel like buying myself a little present I'll do that. But I won't do anything silly," she said.

Henin appears mature beyond her years after a difficult adolescence during which she helped bring up three younger siblings after her mother died six years ago.

After the final, news broke in Belgium that her grandfather had just died but this had been kept from Henin to avoid upsetting her before the big match. Henin has been estranged for more than a year from her father, Jose. She said he had too much influence on her career.

She then turned to a family friend, Jean Denis Lejeune, as her "father." Lejeune's daughter was the victim of a Belgian serial killer in 1996.

But she is sensible down to her court clothes -- a neat skirt and shirt with a peaked cap and visible socks -- contrasting with Williams's glamourous halter-necked outfit and glittering jewelery.

Henin's immediate ambitions are equally modest. "I just want to go home and spend a week like a normal person," she said.

"I also want to sleep. I think it will be very tough to wake me up for the next few days."

Henin said she also wanted to take stock of the two weeks she had spent at Wimbledon.

"I'm proud of what I've done. I want to reflect on it calmly," she said.

"I will be No. 5 in the world on Monday. I was 100 last year."