Angelique Kerber fancied to keep tabs on super Serena

BBC1, 2pm Saturday

Serena Williams has worked wonders to reach yet another Wimbledon final so soon after returning from a break to have her first child, but Angelique Kerber looks the value on this occasion to at least keep it close against the American legend.

Williams will draw level with Australian Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles triumphs should she defeat the German in a rematch of the 2016 Wimbledon final which the American won 7-5 6-3.

Williams played some absolutely blinding tennis in London two years ago against Kerber and Elena Vesnina in the semi-final. It was the best she had ever performed at the All England Club and therefore almost certainly the best display seen in the Wimbledon women's singles.

But while she stepped it up to make light work of Julia Goerges in the last four this year after a three-set quarter-final scare against Italy's Camila Giorgi, Kerber is a superior performer to her fellow German.

There has been support for Kerber in the final, and that's not surprising considering the 11th seed – crowned Australian and US Open champion in the same year she found Williams too hot in London – has swept aside Naomi Osaka, Belinda Bencic, Daria Kasatkina and Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets.

Kerber has merely confirmed what many already thought – that she's one of the best grass-court players in the world.

And with form like that behind her and Williams, 36, insisting she is still finding her way back to her best after returning to competitive action in Indian Wells in March, the wisest option could be to support the outsider.

Kerber is bidding for a trio of fast-court Grand Slam victories, and while that in itself is definitely grounds for a bet on Kerber, punters should remember that Serena was pretty clinical in the course of dismissing her sister Venus Williams in the 2017 Australian Open final.

That was a match in which the elder sibling was bidding for a first Melbourne Park singles crown, so the fact that Williams likes Kerber should make no difference to her desire for the title.

Williams has not lost a singles outing at Wimbledon since a last-32 defeat to Alize Cornet in 2014 and she is on a 20-match winning streak at the Slam.

But her toughest test could well be in the final. Williams said: "It's Angie's second final in three years. That's wildly impressive.

"She wants to go out there and win. So do I. It could well be just like the last final, a great match. Hopefully it will be a good result."

After taking on the services of Belgian coach Wim Fissette, Kerber says it's not only Williams who is making a comeback.

She said: "It's a completely new match. She's coming back, while I'm coming back from 2017. It’s great to see Serena back."

Kerber has been supported to lift the Venus Rosewater trophy, but while that can be considered she's not exactly a big price to rumble the seven-time champion and the safer, better-value play may be to back her with a start of 4.5 games on the handicap.

Recommendation
A Kerber +4.5 games
3pts 8-13 Betway

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