Wimbledon 2016: Women's Final Schedule, Prediction and Prize Money
Serena Williams will defend her Wimbledon crown against Angelique Kerber on Saturday, where the world No. 1 is searching for revenge following her Australian Open defeat earlier this year.
It was Kerber who prevented Williams from beginning her year with silverware in Melbourne with her maiden Grand Slam championship, and she returns to Centre Court hoping to further her success on grass this time around.
This year's women's champion will take home a massive prize pot of £2 million, a 6.4 percent increase on last year's amount, per the Telegraph's Sean Gibson, while the runner-up pockets half that figure.
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Read on to find out when the final will be played, complete with preview of the Wimbledon 2016 final and prediction of how this dramatic rematch will play out at SW19.
Date: Saturday, July 9
Time: 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET
Venue: Centre Court, Wimbledon, London
Prize Money: First place (£2 million), runner-up (£1 million)
Redemption in Sight for Serena
After enjoying the most successful year of her career in 2015, this season has been a considerably more ragged one for Williams, and it all began with the disappointment against Kerber almost six months ago.
However, following back-to-back wins against Russians Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina, she now has the opportunity to equal a major titles record she's been eyeing for some time, per SuperSport:
The world No. 1 is only thinking about the win heading into Saturday's showdown, too, regardless of how her last final clash against Kerber played out, per the Guardian's Simon Cambers:
"I think confidence brews peace and calm in champions. I think that’s how I feel. 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.
[In Australia] I made a lot of errors. She made little to no unforced errors. It was still a three-set match. 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.
"
There's really no reason to believe Kerber will be any different heading into this clash against the world's top-ranked player, but then it's Williams' change in approach that could be key to the result.
Williams has surrendered just one set at Wimbledon 2016 thus far, in her second-round meeting with compatriot Christina McHale, and it's hard to deny such a heralded figure vengeance on her given day.
2nd Time's the Charm for Kerber
Kerber has already dusted off one Williams sister after beating Serena's older sibling Venus, 6-4, 6-4, on Thursday, and she can make it back-to-back victories with another victory on Saturday.
The elder American will undoubtedly have her share of tips to impart to Serena before Saturday's duel, but as BBC Sport showed, Kerber has the set of skills where advice will only do so much:
At the very least, the Williams sister in the final isn't lacking in confidence leading up to the Wimbledon decider, per TSN's Mark Masters:
Kerber, 28, very much appears to be finding her momentum at the top level, while there's certainly reason to debate Williams, 34, is now experiencing the inevitable downward slope that affects all elite athletes.
Between the hunger to beat the best and the fact she's already toppled the world No. 1 once this year, Kerber—who is yet to drop a set in this tournament—can be considered more than capable of claiming a double over Serena.
Prediction: Kerber to win in three sets.
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