Wimbledon preview and odds: Serena Williams vs Angelique Kerber

Published on: 08/07/2016

Wimbledon preview and odds: Serena Williams vs Angelique Kerber

July 09, 2016 - Wimbledon Ladies Final

Serena Williams still needs one more Grand Slam win to equal the 22 titles accumulated by the legendary Steffi Graf. Standing in her way is World No. 4 and 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber.

Kerber and Williams meet in a Grand Slam for second time this year

Both of this year`s contenders have powered their way to the Wimbledon final without too much trouble to deliver a mouth-watering rematch of January`s Aussie Open final. On that occasion it was Kerber who implemented the perfect game plan to see off her rival.

Serena had another chance to equal Graf`s record when she made it to the final of the French Open but this time she fell to rising star Garbine Muguruza.

By beating Serena in a major final in January, Kerber laid down a marker that could make the psychology of this game very interesting. Having got the tactical measure of her opponent in that game, the German will be walking onto the court with an air of confidence that few players possess when facing the World No. 1.

In their Melbourne meeting, Kerber defended brilliantly against Williams` relentless attack and forced her opponent into a huge numbered of unforced errors. The World No. 4 rarely came to the net and just sent everything back Serena`s way. Her tactics would not have gone unnoticed and we could see a very different approach from the six-time former champion on Saturday.

There is no doubt that Kerber is playing the best tennis of her career and is one of the few players that can compete with the pure power of the reigning champ. In addition, she has also improved her speed and agility around the court and has a fearless approach that has been lacking from many top women`s players in recent years.

Serena proved once again in the semi-final that she is not ready to slow down yet. She blitzed her way to a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Elena Vesnina in just 48 minutes and looks just as determined and motivated as ever.

All in all, this will be an intriguing battle of styles that will be determined by the smallest of margins. The opening exchanges will be key as both players seek to get the upper hand. Serena is unlikely to give away points as generously as she did on the hard courts down under and Kerber will have to add another dimension to her game if she is take full advantage of the unpredictable surface.

Betting predictions

It could be argued that Serena`s tactics cost her the final in Melbourne but it was Kerber`s wall-like defence that forced her opponent into making such a huge number of unforced errors.

Saturday`s game should be different but Serena is likely to go on the attack again. Kerber may have to venture to the net more than she did in Australia and that is where this match will be won or lost.

You can back Over 2.5 sets at 13/8 with Bet365.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 08/07/2016

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (08/07/2016 14:05:49) but are subject to change.