Serena Williams v Simona Halep: Wimbledon final guide, H2H records, career stats, Grand Slam titles, betting odds & TV details
Serena Williams is bidding to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title when she faces Simona Halep in Saturday's Wimbledon final. We've got all you need to know.
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The American superstar only dropped two sets in reaching her 11th final at SW19 - 15 years after her first - and will start as favourite to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish for the eighth time in an astonishing career.
By doing so Williams would equal Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles having also won the Australian Open seven times, US Open six and French Open three.
This is her third chance to achieve the feat having lost in last year's Wimbledon final and of course the 2018 US Open, where her behaviour during defeat to Naomi Osaka made all the headlines.
Simona Halep will be competing in her first Wimbledon final after an impressive campaign in which she's dropped just one set and will have no shortage of backers hoping she can win her second Grand Slam crown.
The former world number one won the 2018 French Open and has also been runner-up on three other occasions - in Paris in 2014 & 2017 and the Australian Open of 2018.
Ahead of their first meeting at SW19 since 2011, we look at the tale of the tape, career statistics, Grand Slam records, head-to-head records, routes to the final and the latest odds.
Tale of the tape (Williams first)
- AGE: 37 - 27
- HEIGHT: 5ft 9in - 5ft 6in
- NATIONALITY: American - Romanian
- WORLD RANKING: 10 - 7
- CAREER TITLES/FINALS: 72/94 - 18/35
- CAREER PRIZE MONEY: $88.9million - $30.2million
- GRAND SLAM TITLES/FINALS: 23/31 - 1/4
- WIMBLEDON TITLES/FINALS: 7/10 - 0/0
- 2019 TITLES/FINALS: 0/0 - 0/2
- WIMBLEDON ALL-TIME WIN/LOSS RECORD: 98/11 - 23/8
- GRAND SLAM ALL-TIME WIN/LOSS RECORD: 343/47 - 86/35
- 2019 WIN/LOSS MATCH RECORD: 15/3 - 35/10
- CAREER WIN/LOSS MATCH RECORD: 816/139 - 485/207
- HEAD-TO-HEAD WINS: 9 - 1 (More detail below)
Grand Slam title & finals breakdown
Australian Open
- Williams' seven titles: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017
Runner-Up: 2016 - Halep's best: Runner-Up 2018
French Open
- Williams' three titles: 2002, 2013, 2015
Runner-Up: 2016 - Halep's title: 2018
Runner-Up: 2014, 2017
Wimbledon
- Williams' seven titles: 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016
Runner-Up: 2004, 2008, 2018 - Halep's best before this year: Semi-final 2014
US Open
- Williams' six titles: 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
Runner-Up: 2001, 2011, 2018 - Halep's best: Semi-final 2015
Head-to-head record (Williams first)
- Overall: 9 - 1
- In 2019: 1-0 (Australian Open Last 16)
- In Grand Slams: 3-0
- At Wimbledon: 1-0 (2011)
- On hardcourts: 7-1
- On grass: 1-0
- On clay: 1-0
- In finals: 2-0
List of meetings
- 2019: Australian (Grand Slam), Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-1 4-6 6-4 (L16) - 2016: US Open (Grand Slam), Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-2 4-6 6-3 (QF) - 2016: Indian Wells, Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-4 6-3 (QF) - 2015: Cincinnati, Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-3 7-6(5) (Final) - 2015: Miami, Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-2 4-6 7-5 (SF) - 2015: Indian Wells, Hard
Halep Walkover in SF (doesn't go into head-to-head record) - 2014: Singapore (WTA Finals), Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-3 6-0 (Final) - 2014: Singapore (WTA Finals), Hard
Halep bt Williams 6-0 6-2 (RR) - 2013: Cincinnati, Hard
Williams bt Halep 6-0 6-4 (QF) - 2013: Rome, Clay
Williams bt Halep 6-3 6-0 (SF) - 2011: Wimbledon (Grand Slam), Grass
Williams bt Halep 3-6 6-2 6-1 (L64)
Williams v Halep: Player Quotes
Serena Williams
On potentially winning a 24th Grand Slam: "I thought about it this morning. I actually didn't think about it since because it's really not about 24, or 23, or 25. It's really just about going out there and giving my best effort. No matter what I do, I will always have had a great career.
"I just kind of let it go this morning. I feel really calm about it."
On Halep: "There's so many impressive things about her. I think obviously her tenacity. I think her ability to improve every time, just to keep improving. Her ability to find power. You can't underestimate her. She's like a little powerhouse.
"She finished the year as number one twice in a row. I feel like she's back. She wants to prove that she can do it again. I think the biggest key with our matches is the loss that I had. I never forgot it. She played unbelievable.
"That makes me know that level she played at, she can get there again. So I have to be better than that."
On her mixed doubles run with Andy Murray: "I promise you, when I hit a volley I was like, 'Would I have made that if I didn't play doubles'? I don't think so. I kept telling you guys I thought the doubles would help me. I really think it did. I don't attack the net that much. I tried to and I want to.
"I know when I play doubles here with Venus, it definitely helps my singles game. I was really keen to play mixed here. I really feel like it helped me, not just for today and this event, but hopefully it will help me in the future."
Simona Halep
"Everything is possible. That's why I started to believe more that even if I play on grass, I have my chance to win. I'm in the final, so I will not put pressure on myself. I just want to plan how I have to play in the final, and then enjoy.
"I'm desperate to win Wimbledon more than to stop her. I will focus on myself. I'm not thinking about her record. Of course, her records are huge already.
"But it's not about that. It's just a tennis match, a big challenge, a great match. So I will try just to give my best."
Williams v Halep: Routes to the final
Serena Williams
- First round - Giulia Gatto-Monticone
Williams was given a gentle opener against the Italian qualifier and she got a good work out in a 6-4 7-5 win.
- Second round - Kaja Juvan
One of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history was on the cards as Williams lost the first set to the 18-year-old, but she came back to triumph 2-6 6-2 6-4 in front of the watching Duchess of Sussex.
- Third round - Julia Goerges
In a repeat of last year's semi-final, Williams again got the better of the German, posting a 6-3 6-4 victory.
- Fourth round - Carla Suarez Navarro
Williams kept up her 100 per cent record against Navarro with the easiest of victories, dropping just four games in a 6-2 6-2 win.
- Quarter-final - Alison Riske
Williams' toughest test was against world number one Ashleigh Barty's conqueror Riske in the last eight and she looked to be in trouble as she was a break down in the final set. However, she rallied to win 6-4 4-6 6-3.
- Semi-final - Barbora Strycova
The wily Czech was no match for the power of Williams in a one-sided match that she dominated from the start, triumphing 6-1 6-2.
Simona Halep
- First round - Aliaksandra Sasnovich
The seventh seed opened up Court One for the tournament and came out of a competitive match with a 6-4 7-5 win against the Belarussian.
- Second round - Mihaela Buzarnescu
An all-Romanian tie went the distance in the second round as Halep got the better of her compatriot 6-3 4-6 6-2.
- Third round - Victoria Azarenka
A mouth-watering battle of two former world number ones looked in prospect and it was given Centre Court billing, but Halep cruised to a 6-3 6-1 win.
- Fourth round - Cori Gauff
Halep proved to be one of the least popular fourth-round winners ever when she ended the hopes of 15-year-old Gauff with a 6-3 6-3 win.
- Quarter-final - Shuai Zhang
The former French Open champion overcame a tricky start against the surprise package, but eventually posted a 7-6 (4) 6-1 success.
- Semi-final - Elina Svitolina
With her first Wimbledon final in her grasp, there were no nerves on show as she outplayed her Ukrainian opponent in a disappointingly one-sided 6-1 6-3 win.
Williams v Halep: Latest Sky Bet Odds
To win the title: Williams 8/15, Halep 13/8