Women's Wimbledon Final 2018: Angelique Kerber vs. Serena Williams – live! | sport

Second set: Kerber 6-3, 1-0 Williams * (* indicates the following server)

Kerber clearly did not read the script. This afternoon was supposed to be about Williams improving his size. This could still happen, of course, but Kerber shows no signs of slowing down at the beginning of the second set. She wants 15.

Williams misses a volley on the second point and it's 0- 30. She is potentially two points away from conceding the first set. She pushes a volley of head, it will be good. Can she build on that? Yes – but that was the touch – Kerber tries the lob with Williams close to the net and that lasts only since . 30-all. 30-40 after a failed baseline. Set point . Williams hits a high setback in the net and Kerber secures the set! She did a great job in neutralizing Williams' power and only hit three straight fouls in this set. What German efficiency.

First set: Kerber 5-3 Williams * (* indicates the next server)

There is nothing that Williams hates more than to be broken. She often takes revenge immediately. She grows to 30-all here, Kerber lives a bit dangerously, but survives when Williams' efforts whistle wide. 40-30. Thu.

First set: * Kerber 4-3 Williams (* indicates next server)

Williams's move is so impressive so early in his return. She is obliged to cover several strands of grbad on the opening point but it is Kerber who carries it off. 0-15. A first double fault, 0-30. And there is another! Twice in a row, it is extremely rare at Williams. 0-40. Wishing to make amends, she sends a smash to the first point of rupture and Kerber hits an air shot. An unreturned serves largely the second breakpoint. But it's the third time lucky for Kerber, when Williams goes long! Another change of momentum. After the early accusation of Kerber, and Williams' answer, it is now Kerber in the ancestry again.

First set: Kerber 3-3 Williams * (* indicates the next server)

But Kerber sees the Williams attack and the raise with a superb defense. A forehand sparkling on the line and a beautiful backhand on the line and that is 40-0 Kerber. 40-15. Kerber is here.

First set: * Kerber 2-3 Williams (* indicates the following server)

Pow. A Williams 125mph ace – the fastest of the women's tournament – seals the game to love. It's as fast as they served in the men's semifinal. From 2-0, Williams takes three games on the round to lead this final for the first time.

First Set: Kerber 2-2 Williams * (*

Other names in the Royal Box this afternoon include Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Virginia Wade, Emma Watson and Thandie Newton, while Tiger Woods and Lewis Hamilton are invited in the Williams box.Nods of approval when Williams raises the bar, goes to court and increases power. 0-30. 0-40 Three break points Kerber slams a long reverse and Williams is back to level

First set : * Kerber 2-1 Williams (* says the following server)

Williams She will feel less rickety after getting on the board with a catch at 30. She installs the game with an arrow of a setback on any Meghan's applause applause Williams was invited to the royal wedding in May (and, still the competitor, would have beaten them at very invited in a beer-pong game), and now it's the turn of the Duchess of Susbad to support her friend. The Duchess of Cambridge is also in the royal box this afternoon. Royal Tennis Royalties

First Set: Kerber 2-0 Williams * (* indicates the following server)

If Kerber is able to engage Williams in abundance of lengthy exchanges – as she did on this breaking point – she has a real chance of beating Williams. The German looks so calm, sliding at 40-15, while Williams is scolding after a long attack at the match point. Kerber consolidates the break

First set: * Kerber 1-0 Williams (* indicates the next server)

Williams begins his pursuit for another piece of History by taking the point of opening. And the second, when Kerber leans long. Williams takes his third consecutive service but continues to draw a wide setback. 30-15. 30-all after another Williams backhand error, a tight shot that falls right in the back of the net. Kerber sculpts an early break point. 30-40. Williams goes for two shots but Kerber absorbs the pressure, showing a huge defense in a long rally, and Williams makes a forehand in the net! Kerber makes a perfect start with the break!

This is a great shock in styles : puncher v counterpuncher, power v speed, the best server of the tournament v the best receiver. Kerber will have to mix things up with lots of slice, short balls and slow balls to disrupt Williams' rhythm. With all the top 10 places, it's probably the best match we could have had.

"We have had so many good games in recent years," Kerber said in preparation for the final. "To see her again, it's great.Yes, I know she's always pushing you to the limits to play your best tennis.That's the only chance to beat her."

Tik! Tok! Tikity! Tok! They are warming up . As for their head-to-head, Williams leads 6-2 but Kerber will not be scared; She defeated the American at a Grand Slam before, in the final of the Australian Open 2016.

The draw which is performed by the 11th-year Tia Clarke. Kerber calls the heads. That's the heads. The German chooses to receive

They come here, making their way through the corridors of the All England Club. Williams, helmet, strides ahead in front of his opponent. They both received a bouquet of flowers before walking on the court for a great ovation. The camera is panning Meghan Markle for the first of probably 783 times this afternoon. Most of the spectators returned to their seats after taking a break after Djokovic's victory.

Players should be on the court very soon. While we wait, some highlights of the 2016 Wimbledon Finale between Williams and Kerber:

A copy and paste of my preamble so early you did not read it:

Ten months ago, Serena Williams suffered life-threatening complications after giving birth to her daughter, Olympia. Today, the 36-year-old reaches an eighth Wimbledon title that would equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam victories.

Just 10 months ago . It is worth repeating. Williams has made the habit of making it impossible during her career, so it may be easy to underestimate the difficulty of what she has achieved in the final

L & # 39; American was bedridden for six weeks after an emergency cesarean section last September. several procedures were needed after the formation of blood clots on his lungs. "It's not a secret that I've had a super difficult delivery," Williams said after his semifinal win Thursday. "I lost count after, like, four surgeries – it was just a routine every day." There was a time when I could barely walk up to my mailbox. People were saying, "Oh, she should be in the finals." For me, it's a pleasure and a joy because it's been less than a year since I was going through so much. "[19659044] In her fourth return tournament, she appeared fit and focused with a fierce desire to win the title for her daughter, gaining momentum at every game and dropping only one inning. These are not small steps that she takes, these are giant steps.

But Angelique Kerber is determined to be more than a footnote in the history of Williams at Wimbledon; the German has his own return to the cap. Kerber had a great year in 2016, winning the Open of Australia and the United States and finishing second at Wimbledon (she played Williams in both the Australia and Wimbledon finals). She climbed to No. 1 worldwide but seemed to consider her status as a millstone around the neck rather than a milestone. Weighed by expectation and attention, it collapsed last year, but is now close to its 2016 form. The 11th ^th seed is pbaded under the radar of Wimbledon because of all the shocks around her but she resisted everything that Jelena Ostapenko threw her in the semifinals and is determined to show that she is not a marvel of a season

And if you do not tremble the memory of the service-a-thon of Anderson and Isner Yesterday you can take advantage of this :

The roof was closed for Djokovic v Nadal. Which may seem odd since it's about 28 degrees outside. But that's because the roof was closed for the first part of their match last night. Be that as it may, it is now open for the women's final …

Nadal glides on the grbad at 0-30 on his serve and he slips from 0 to 40, three points matches . He misses his first serve, does the second, but a few strokes later, Nadal takes a wide forehand! Djokovic prevails 10-8 in the last set after five hours and 15 minutes, and the Wimbledon triple champion is a great finalist Slam for the first time since 2016! After an injury and a loss of shape, he is close to relearning himself to grow up. For Nadal, it's his first defeat in a semifinal of Wimbledon. Always the gentleman, the world No. 1 waits for the winner before leaving the court. And breathe. We have about 30 minutes remaining until Williams and Kerber are out for the final …

Djokovic saves three break points for 8-7. Nadal saves a match point with an absolutely harmless drop drop to hold for 8-8. A drop shot on a match point. It was probably even Williams and Kerber clapping in the locker room. That could not be another 26-24. Could he …?

Do not take anything away from Nadal and Djokovic, though. It's exciting and I do not think there is any desire on the part of the crowd for it to end. Remember Billie Jean King does not look too impressed in the Royal Box. She's waiting for Williams and Kerber …

Ho hum . It's now 26 hours since the men's semifinals started at 1 pm yesterday …

Of course, Nadal and Djokovic were waiting in the locker room for an hour or six yesterday so I'm sure that they can sympathize with the situation Williams and Kerber are in this afternoon. Nadal serves at 7-6, the match just minutes away from becoming the second longest semifinal in the history of Wimbledon

Nadal just missed two break points that would have left him serving for the match in the last set. Instead Djokovic holds for 5-4. You can follow the outcome with Will here.

Much has been said since last night about the rights and wrongs of scheduling . A final without a tee time is difficult for Williams and Kerber, who have worked so hard to get here. But because Djokovic and Nadal started at the Center, they have to finish there. Since one of them has to play again tomorrow, it was not really an option for them to come after women. And after the arrival of 23h last night, they would not have been able to resume before 13h. Perhaps what can be learned from this is that fifth-party tie-breaks must be considered by Wimbledon. If Anderson v Isner had been settled at this stage rather than at 26-24, we would not be in this mess today.

Ten months ago, Serena Williams suffered life-threatening complications after giving birth to her daughter, Olympia. Today, the 36-year-old reaches an eighth Wimbledon title that would equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam victories.

Just 10 months ago . It is worth repeating. Williams has made the habit of making it impossible during her career, so it may be easy to underestimate the difficulty of what she has achieved in the final

L & # 39; American was bedridden for six weeks after an emergency cesarean section last September. several procedures were needed after the formation of blood clots on his lungs. "It's not a secret that I've had a super difficult delivery," Williams said after his semifinal win Thursday. "I lost count after, like, four surgeries – it was just a routine every day." There was a time when I could barely walk up to my mailbox. People were saying, "Oh, she should be in the finals." For me, it's a pleasure and a joy because it's been less than a year since I was going through so much. "[19659044] In her fourth return tournament, she appeared fit and focused with a fierce desire to win the title for her daughter, gaining momentum at every game and dropping only one inning. These are not small steps that she takes, these are giant steps.

But Angelique Kerber is determined to be more than a footnote in the history of Williams at Wimbledon; the German has his own return to the cap. Kerber had a great year in 2016, winning the Open of Australia and the United States and finishing second at Wimbledon (she played Williams in both the Australia and Wimbledon finals). She climbed to No. 1 worldwide but seemed to consider her status as a millstone around the neck rather than a milestone. Weighed by expectation and attention, it collapsed last year, but is now close to its 2016 form. The 11th ^th seed is pbaded under the radar of Wimbledon because of all the shocks around her but she resisted everything that Jelena Ostapenko threw her in the semifinals and is determined to show that she is not a marvel of a season

The finale was supposed to start at : 14h BST. He will start now each time Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal stop training in the second half of their semi-final.