Brosnan inspired me to win, says Bartoli

France’s Marion Bartoli will have to do without the support of former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan when she faces Venus Williams in today’s Wimbledon final.

Bartoli put her stunning semi-final victory over world number one Justine Henin down to seeing Brosnan cheering her on from the Royal Box on Centre Court.

The Irish actor sent word he could not attend the final as he is attending a wedding, but Bartoli was more than happy with a message of support and signed photograph.

“Yeah, that is satisfying me,” she joked after her amazing 1-6 7-5 6-1 triumph over Henin, who was a massive favourite to win and continue her bid for a career Grand Slam.

Henin took the first set in just 22 minutes and was a break up in the second before Bartoli, who lost 6-1 6-3 to Henin in the semi-finals at Eastbourne recently, began a magnificent fightback.

“It was very hard, my game was not on at all in the first set,” Bartoli added.

“Then I saw Pierce Brosnan, he is one of my favourite actors so I thought it would be good to play a bit of tennis.

“I said to myself: 'It’s not possible I play so bad in front of him.' I saw he was cheering for me.

“I was focusing on him because he is so beautiful. I tried to play a little better and here I am.

“I tried to focus on the ball and forget who I was playing and where I was playing.

“I’m so excited to be in the final, it’s like a dream come true. If you told me that before the tournament I would not have trusted you.”

The 22-year-old will once again be a massive underdog against Williams, even though she is the 18th seed and Williams 23rd after long spells out of the game through injury.

“I never played against Venus before,” added Bartoli, who had won just four matches in four previous visits to Wimbledon, but has won six in a row during the fortnight.

“I guess to beat the number one in the world will give me a lot of confidence.

“And to play on this court, Centre Court, and win that match I will be really up for the final.

“I have nothing to lose. Venus has been the champion here already. I will try to figure out the way to play against her.

“Even if I will lose the first set, I won’t go out. I will try my best to play the best as possible and to win this match.

“I think at the end of the second set, the third set against Justine, I played the way I can play day in and day out.

“I practice for that. I think I was not overplaying, I was just playing good.”

Williams improved her Wimbledon record to 50-7 with victory over sixth seed Ana Ivanovic in the semi-finals, and admits she was inspired by seeing her sister Serena win the Australian Open this year when ranked 81st in the world.

“Serena’s so motivating,” the 27-year-old American said. “I was so inspired seeing her at the Australian Open. I was like, I want to be just like her.

“The last time I won here at Wimbledon (2005), she won the Australian Open.

“We just motivate each other so much. Something about us, no matter where we’re ranked, no matter where we are, no matter what the next person says, ultimately we just believe in ourselves, and I think that’s what makes the difference.