Result inevitable despite Serena changing her style

London – Serena Williams (right) booked a Wimbledon final rematch against Angelique Kerber as the seven-time champion marched into her 10th final with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Julia Goerges yesterday.

On a 20-match winning streak at Wimbledon, Williams is the third oldest female Grand Slam finalist in the Open era at 36 years and 291 days.

She will face German world No 10 Kerber tomorrow in a repeat of the 2016 showpiece won by Williams.

Williams has often blasted her rivals off Centre Court with ferocious power-hitting, but German 13th seed Goerges was sent packing with a more subtle 70-minute display featuring just 16 winners and five aces.

In only her fourth tournament since the birth of her daughter Olympia in September, the 23-time Grand Slam champion is closing in on her first major title as a mother.

“It’s crazy. I don’t even know how to feel. I didn’t expect to do this well in my fourth tournament back,” Williams said.

The American star will have history in her sights against Kerber as she tries to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

An eighth Wimbledon title would also move her past Steffi Graf into second place on the list of female Wimbledon champions, behind nine-time winner Martina Navratilova.

Serena will go into her 30th Grand Slam final holding a 6-2 lead in her head-to-head record against Kerber.

When a Goerges error wrapped up the first set, Serena’s dominance was so total that the American, whose emotions are usually on full display, barely acknowledged the moment.

By the time a Goerges dropshot drifted into net to present Serena with the decisive break in the sixth game of the second set, the contest had already been sapped of any drama.

Earlier, Kerber raced into her second Wimbledon final and fourth Slam showpiece as the German crushed former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-3 in 67 minutes. – AFP