Serena Williams battle ready, eyes Angelique Kerber revenge

Serena Williams feels at peace and battle ready as she plots to gain revenge over Angelique Kerber and make history in Saturday’s Wimbledon final.

The world number one has not won a grand slam title since lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish at the All England Club 12 months ago, but is the favourite to match Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 major titles this weekend.

Williams, who demolished Elena Vesnina to reach the final, has stated time and again that moving level with Graf is not her aim, but the defending champion will surely be relieved to bring an end to questions about the number 22 by seeing off Kerber.

Kerber beat the legendary American in the final of the Australian Open in January and also saw off the six-time Wimbledon champion’s sister, Venus, to reach her first final on the grass in SW19.

Williams, also beaten by Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final last month, is happy with her state of mind as she prepares to take on Kerber for the first time on grass.

The 34-year-old American said: “Well, right now I feel like it’s pretty good. I feel good. I felt great in other tournaments, as well. But I feel a little different. I just feel more relaxed and more at peace than I may have been in the past.

“Sometimes when you are fighting, sometimes you want something so bad, it can hinder you a little bit.  Now I’m just a little bit more calm.

“I think confidence brews peace and calm in champions. I think that’s how I feel.”

Williams said she learned lessons from her shock loss to Kerber which should help her avoid a repeat.

She added of the final in Melbourne: “I made a lot of errors. She made little to no unforced errors. It was still a three‑set match. I felt like I could have played better.

“I felt like she played great. She came out swinging, ready to win. She was fearless. That’s something I learned. When I go into a final, I, too, need to be fearless like she was.

“It was inspiring afterwards to realise there’s a lot of things that I need to improve on.”

Kerber will become the first German woman since Graf’s victory 20 years ago to win Wimbledon if she upsets Williams once again.

The fourth seed is aware of the task she faces as she eyes a second slam.

She said: “I expect, for sure, a really tough match. I know that she will go out and try to beat me, especially because she lost against me in Australia.

“On grass she is always dangerous.  I think she won here so many times, she will go for it. I know this. I know I have to play one of my best tennis matches tomorrow.

“I’m excited and I’m really looking forward to play against her again.”