2019 Wimbledon Championships Women’s Singles Final – Serena Williams vs Simona Halep Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Serena Williams vs Simona Halep taking place? All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London
When is Serena Williams vs Simona Halep on and what time does it start? Saturday 13th July, 2019 – (not before) 14:00 (UK)
What is the expected weather for Serena Williams vs Simona Halep? Cloudy, with a chance of showers and slightly humid with a temperature around 24c
What channel is Serena Williams vs Simona Halep on? Matches will air on BBC1, BBC2 and BBC Red Button throughout the tournament
Where can I stream Serena Williams vs Simona Halep? BBC iPlayer / BBC Sport website / BBC Sport app
Where can I get tickets for Serena Williams vs Simona Halep?
Discount of £50 only applicable on orders over £500, including service charges and taxes. Applicable on UK Tennis event tickets only which are purchased on specified domains. Valid until 23:59 (BST) on 14.07.2019. Cannot be used with other offers. See T&Cs.
THE LOWDOWN
HEAD-TO-HEAD
All-time meetings: Serena Williams 9-1 Simona Halep
Last meeting: Serena Williams beat Simona Halep 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
SERENA WILLIAMS
- Serena Williams beat her semi-final opponent Barbora Strycova in straight sets and 59 minutes to reach her 11th Women’s Singles final at Wimbledon and she will aim for her eighth title.
- The 37-year-old is just one game away from winning her first Grand Slam since becoming a mother, which seemed to play more heavily on her mind in last year’s Wimbledon final loss to Angelique Kerber than it has this campaign.
- Williams will face Simona Halep for an 11th time in her career in their first Grand Slam final together and she has already beaten Halep, ten years her junior, once this year at the Australian Open.
SIMONA HALEP
- Seventh-seed Simona Halep dominated play against eighth-seed Elina Svitolina in their semi-final and conceded just four games in the process to reach her first Wimbledon final.
- The Romanian’s strength comes from her dogged determination to reach every ball, displayed in her 31 break points over her six matches played at Wimbledon, but her own serve is more vulnerable than other top ten players.
- The former world number one has played Serena Williams in two finals, the WTA championships in 2014 and the Cincinnati Masters in 2015, with her only victory against the American coming in the semi-finals of Indian Wells in 2015.
THE PREDICTION
Serena Williams and Simona Halep will face each other for the 11th time in their careers when they battle it out for the Wimbledon Women’s Singles title of 2019, with both players laying out their stalls in dominant semi-final wins. It is testament to both players’ games that Serena Williams conceded just three games while Simona Halep conceded just one game more.
Their differing styles should challenge each other’s weaknesses. Williams will be able to push Halep further off court than perhaps anyone else and can punish Halep’s sometimes suspect service game with returns that come back faster than they left the Romanian’s racket, while Halep’s movement can certainly outmanoeuvre the American on court. Williams’ last two victories over Halep have come at Grand Slams, the Australian Open this year and the US Open back in 2016, and her first was at this very tournament in 2011. Halep’s defence is truly at an elite level, but it is no secret that grass is not her favoured surface where, on the other hand, Wimbledon is Williams’ home. The seven-time champion can break her own record by winning this final to lift her eighth title and her 24th singles title overall. Halep has every chance to take a set but it is more likely that Serena grinds out a two-set victory.
