Serena set for royal support in bid to make tennis history

Serena Williams is one victory away from equalling Margaret Court’s alltime grand slam record and will have royal support as she bids to make more history.

Ten months after giving birth to daughter Olympia and suffering life-threatening complications, and in only her fourth tournament back, the 36-year-old defeated Julia Goerges 6-2 6-4 to reach her 10th Wimbledon final.

Victory over Angelique Kerber tomorrow would give Williams a 24th slam singles title, tying her with Australian Court.

And after days of speculation it was confirmed that Williams’ close friend Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, will be in the Royal Box to lend her support.

Williams cited beating Court’s record as a motivating factor in her comeback, but said yesterday: “I don’t want to limit myself. I think that’s what I was doing in the past, I was limiting myself.

“It’s just a number. I want to get as many as I can. I still have a match to win, so I’m not even there yet.”

Williams put on a superb display of power and athleticism to defeat Goerges, who was by no means over-awed in her first grand slam semifinal.

She will now contest a rematch of the 2016 final against German Kerber.

Williams has not lost a singles match at Wimbledon since a third-round defeat by Alize Cornet in 2014 and is on a 20-match winning streak at the tournament.

Williams is unquestionably Wimbledon royalty and Kensington Palace announced the Duchess of Sussex will be at the All England Club with sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge for the women’s final.

Williams, who was among the guests at the royal wedding in May, said of Meghan: “We’ve always had a wonderful friendship. Every year for a couple years she comes out to Wimbledon, has supported me. Now she’s supporting me in a different role. But our friendship is still exactly the same. I look forward to it.”

Kerber, who beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 6-3 in their semi-final and is one win away from a third grand slam triumph, is part of an exclusive club of players to have defeated Williams in a grand slam final, having done so at the Australian Open in 2016 before the American got her revenge at Wimbledon.

Williams leads their head-to-head 6-2 overall, and said: “The last Wimbledon I won was against her. But this is different. She’s playing so well. I think she’s incredibly confident.”

Images. Pictures: Getty Serena Williams, above, in action against Julia Goerges yesterday as she booked her place in tomorrow’s Wimbledon women’s singles final, with the veteran American aiming for a record-equalling 24th grand slam title; Williams will face Angelique Kerber, left, in the final after the German defeated Jelena Ostapenko in their semifinal clash.