When Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber walk onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court for the women’s final today, the legacy of Steffi Graf will loom large.
The showdown will see world number one Williams try to equal Graf’s professional era record of 22 grand slam singles titles, while Kerber will seek to become the first German woman to lift the Wimbledon singles crown since her idol Graf 20 years ago.
If Kerber prevails, completing a daunting double over the Williams sisters at the tournament, it could also signal a changing of the guard at the top the women’s game.
It would be the second time this year she had beaten the American in a grand slam final, having triumphed at the Australian Open in January.
Kerber, 28, would also become the first woman apart from Williams to win two grand slams in a season since Justine Henin in 2007, when the Belgian player was world number one.
Williams, 34, is a six-times Wimbledon champion and the clear bookmakers’ favourite. But the Graf milestone is nevertheless sure to be weighing on her mind.
She has flatly refused to discuss it at this year’s championships, on one occasion testily telling reporters: “I’m not talking about that anymore. Sorry.”
Kerber, free of such weight of expectation and history, has been happy to discuss her ambitions to emulate Graf.
“She was always an idol for me, I have watched a lot of her matches, on YouTube sometimes,” she said after dispatching Williams’s sister Venus in the last four.
“I met her a few times – the last time she told me, just believe in yourself. I will try to be the next one to win here after Steffi.”
Both players, who have never played each other on grass, have been in fine form at the tournament.
Defending champion Williams has dropped just one set on her way to the final, culminating in her 48-minute demolition of Elena Vesnina in the last four.
Kerber has not dropped a set, and impressively outgunned Venus Williams in the semis.
Williams leads left-handed Kerber 5-2 in matches since their first meeting nine years ago, and last season she won three of the four majors, including Wimbledon, only to stumble with a calendar-year Grand Slam in sight at the US Open.