After Nine Years, Venus Faces Final Reckoning Against Muguruza

After Nine Years, Venus Faces Final Reckoning Against Muguruza
Venus Williams of the U.S. celebrates winning the semi final match against Great Britain’s Johanna Konta at the Wimbledon in London, July 13, 2017. Reuters/Matthew Childs
|Updated:

Venus Williams will hope to reclaim her Wimbledon crown after a nine-year wait on Saturday against Garbine Muguruza, in a final that has the makings of a classic battle of the big hitters.

Venus, aged 37 and undergoing a barely credible tennis renaissance, last stepped out onto Centre Court to contest a singles final in 2009.

She lost that match to Serena Williams, having beaten her younger sister to lift the aptly named Venus Rosewater Dish the previous year - the most recent of her seven grand slam titles.

Victory in Saturday’s final - in which, with rain a possibility, the Wimbledon roof may come into play - would see the evergreen American surpass Serena as the oldest major title winner since the sport turned professional in 1968.

Having finished runner-up in the Australian Open in January, Venus would also move to the top of the leaderboard as the best main tour player of 2017.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza celebrates winning the semi final match against Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova at Wimbledon in London, July 13, 2017. (Reuters/Toby Melville)
Spain's Garbine Muguruza celebrates winning the semi final match against Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova at Wimbledon in London, July 13, 2017. Reuters/Toby Melville