Wimbledon ladies’ final: Serena slam still on course against Muguruza
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Serena Williams can rightly eye a sixth Wimbledon ladies’ singles success and 21st Grand Slam glory, as Coral make the all-time tennis great overwhelming odds-on 1/6 favourite to win the 2015 final.
WTA world number one Williams will play Venezuelan-born Garbine Muguruza, who is making her maiden appearance on such a stage, and the odds are against her. At 4/1, she is a rank outsider, but does hold a Grand Slam victory over Serena at last year’s Australian Open.
“I worked all my life to achieve this moment,” said Muguruza, who represents Spain and survived a semi-final comeback from former Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska. “I think I was playing really well so I had to stay calm and keep a poker face.”
Muguruza has certainly had a tough route to the final, knocking out four seeds ranked in the WTA’s top 15 before tournament, including Caroline Wozniacki. Three-set battles with Angelique Kerber and Radwanska have battled-hardened her, however.
Williams, meanwhile, came through tough tests against British hope Heather Watson and Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka herself. Final four foe Maria Sharapova has not been able to slay Serena since 2004, and that showed as the American romped to yet another straight sets victory over the Russian racket star to set up a Muguruza meeting.
Punters expecting Williams, armed with so much big match experience, to have it all her own way might be surprised. Serena does lead the head-to-heads 2-1 on this stage, and holds a 4-2 record when facing maiden Grand Slam finalists. These 66 per cent success rates both against Muguruza and players in her situation are persuasive.
A repeat of the 2-1 from victory recorded at this year’s Australian Open, en route to Williams winning Down Under back in January, looks well worth a bet at 3/1.
The tiebreak market looks one to avoid, as between them Serena and Muguruza have been involved in just one Wimbledon 2015, won by the latter. Williams is a nifty 9/2 to take the opening set 6-4 after doing so in half of her six matches at SW19 to date.
Muguruza is in uncharted territory, and that is a major achievement for the 21-year-old. It’s hard to see how she will deal with the power of Williams on this surface, having bettered the instinctive, pragmatic Radwanska.
Coral’s best bet: Take that terrific 3/1 price on Serena securing a sixth Wimbledon win 2-1.
