Wimbledon: Williams Sets Up Final With Muguruza

If Williams wins the Wimbledon finals Saturday, she’ll have secured a second such slam. Should she win on Saturday, she’ll first complete the “Serena Slam” – winning four majors in a row – having won at the US Open last summer in addition to her major titles this season.

Heres the one element that might give Muguruza a hint of hope: In the French Opens second round previous year, she stunned Williams 6-2, 6-2, the most lopsided loss in Williams 318-match Grand Slam career.

Garbine Muguruza of Spain celebrates after defeating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland after their women’s singles semifinal match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Thursday July 9, 2015. Williams responded, belting her serve as she had done all day, a barely-touched delivery sending her into an eighth final here and first since 2012, when she won her fifth Wimbledon title. “You don’t need to ask me that”.

If Muguruza is going to make this a match, she needs to protect her service games as well as Williams does.

The 21-year-old Muguruza is the first Spanish woman in 19 years to reach the Wimbledon final. She pushed the world No 1 to deuce only once.

Muguruzu, who beat Williams at the French Open past year, said: “I think it’s the best final you can play“. Radwanska had already hit a forehand return, and only challenged after her ball had bounced on the other side of the net and Muguruza lined up her next shot.

To Williams, chasing that calendar slam and no doubt eyeing overhauling Steffi Graf’s 22 and Margaret Court’s 24 major titles is every pressure and no pressure all at the same time. I don’t think it’s a secret.

Sharapova still hadn’t shaken off the nerves on her serve and Serena made her pay in the fifth game, reading the Russian’s deliveries perfectly and punishing them with ground-strokes too deep and powerful to stop.

“It was never my goal, but, you know, right now it’s kind of cool”, Williams, 33, said of the Serena Slam.

While coy about her achievements, she admitted her success is fuelled by a fiercely competitive streak that refuses to dim even at an age when many of her ex- rivals have long since retired. “Against her, you have to be able not to just produce your best tennis, but more”.

The world number one launched an attacking barrage, breaking twice in the first set, which she clinched in 33 minutes with a scorching backhand winner.The second set was closer as Sharapova ditched all caution and came out swinging, but when Williams broke for a 3-2 lead, the outcome seemed inevitable.

“I learned so much from that”, Williams said in a news conference.

“She knows that I can win against her, that I’m not afraid”. It’s like, wow! In so short time, I’m here. “If both play to win, then we’ll see who is the best one”. She actually has a win against me. Muguruza won’t get as many free points as Williams off her own serve, but she will make life miserable for Serena if the American’s groundstrokes lack depth or direction.

“So that completely gets me motivated to work harder and try to reach my goals”. She’s head and shoulders above her competition because of her power and movement.