SATURDAY 13 JULY 2019 SPORT 17 I think New Zealand throughout England captain Eoin the whole tournament has been FORMULA ONE TENNIS probably the hardest side to beat Morgan says ahead British Grand Prix Wimbledon, Women’s and the best side in the group of ICC World Cup final Qualifying at Silverstone Singles final: Serena stages. against the ‘Black Caps’. ACTION Williams vs Simona Halep Circuit TODAY’S Serena, Halep chase milestones in final REUTERS FACTBOX: WILLIAMS VS HALEP LONDON SERENA WILLIAMS Serena Williams no longer wants to Age: 37 obsess about elusive Grand Slam WTA Ranking: 10 (Highest ranking: 1) “number 24” and Simona Halep is Grand Slam titles: 23 (Australian Open 2003, desperate to win Wimbledon more than 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017; French Open to stop the American reaching that 2002, 2013, 2015; Wimbledon 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, milestone but there will be no place for 2012, 2015, 2016; U.S. Open 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, either to hide in today’s final. 2013, 2014) No matter who wins the title 2018 Wimbledon performance: Runner-up decider on Centre Court, the one thing Best Wimbledon performance: Winner (2002, for certain is that it will be a historic 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016) occasion. Sets dropped at Wimbledon 2019: 2 The 37-year-old Williams is chasing Since winning her last Grand Slam title in Australia an eighth All England Club singles in 2017, Williams has reached two more major finals -- at crown which would see her match Aus- tralian Margaret Court’s all-time record Wimbledon and the U.S. Open -- and failed in her quest to of 24 major singles titles. win a record-equalling 24th major singles crown. National pride will be at stake for However, she goes into Saturday’s Wimbledon Halep as she bids to become the first final with a stellar record against Halep, having lost to the Romanian to win a singles title at the Romanian only once in 10 meetings between the pair spiritual home of grasscourt tennis. back in 2014. Halep said if she dwelt on Williams’ Simona Halep Serena Williams records over the past 21 years it might SIMONA HALEP be game over before she stepped on Age: 27 court for a contest compatriot and gym- WTA Ranking: 7 (Highest ranking: 1) nastics great Nadia Comaneci said ready for what could be one of the most has more than just an A-game in her and won 83 percent of her service Grand Slam titles: 1 (French Open 2018) would be “watched by every Romanian memorable days in the history of repertoire. games. 2018 Wimbledon performance: Third round alive on the planet”. women’s tennis? “I have a better game these days. I Playing mixed doubles with Andy Best Wimbledon performance: Final (2019) “I will focus on myself. I’m not “The biggest key with our matches can play everywhere, against anyone. Murray, albeit in a losing cause this Sets dropped at Wimbledon 2019: 1 thinking about her record. Her records is the (6-0 6-2) loss that I had. I never When I go on court... I know how to week, has also helped her to sharpen her Halep has yet to win a title in 2019 but has been are huge already. It’s nothing about forgot it,” said the 11th seed, who is also change some things when (other things) volleys - an ominous sight for anyone on that. It’s just a tennis match, big chal- bidding to become the first mother to don’t work very well,” said the 2018 the opposite side of the net. in menacing form at Wimbledon, even though grass is not lenge, a great match. So I will try just triumph at Wimbledon since Australian French Open champion. Williams has already had two failed her favourite surface. to give my best,” said Halep, who has Evonne Goolagong beat American Chris “Now, I believe that I have my attempts in finals to win that 24th major The counter-puncher has stuck to her clay-court lost just one set so far. Evert in 1980. chance to win against her. I respect a - after contesting last year’s Wimbledon strengths on the grass and dictated play from the base- A quick study of their rivalry would “She played unbelievable. That lot what she has done and what she’s and US Open showpiece matches - and, line to reach her first Grand Slam final since winning the also suggest Williams will probably be makes me know that... she can get there doing. But I feel mentally stronger regardless of what she says, everyone French Open last year. the one holding aloft the Venus Rose- again. So I have to be better than that. facing her.” knows the American wants that record. HEAD-TO-HEAD: WILLIAMS LEADS 9-1 water dish considering she has won “There’s so many impressive things A ‘Plan B’ or even ‘Plan C’ could “I just trained and I trained and I Last five meetings nine of their previous 10 meetings. about her. Obviously her tenacity, her come in handy for Halep as Williams trained to get physically more fit. So 2019 Williams d Halep 6-1 4-6 6-4 (Australian The 27-year-old Halep’s only ability to find power. Can’t underes- was at her devastating best in a I’m definitely at a different place,” said Open, hard) victory over Williams was almost five timate her. She’s like a little power- 59-minute destruction of unseeded Williams. 2016 Williams d Halep 6-2 4-6 6-3 (US Open, hard) years ago, while the American has won house. I feel like she’s back. She wants Czech Barbora Strycova in the semi- “It’s really not about 24 or 23 or 25. 2016 Williams d Halep 6-4 6-3 (Indian Wells, hard) all three of their Grand Slam clashes, to prove that she can do it again.” finals. Moving as smoothly and It’s really just about going out there and 2015 Williams d Halep 6-3 7-6(5) (Cincinnati, hard) including at Wimbledon in 2011. Halep will also take heart from their striking the ball as crisply and as pow- giving my best effort no matter what. 2015 Williams d Halep 6-2 4-6 7-5 (Miami, hard) So which memory from those battle at this year’s Australian Open erfully as at any time in her career, the No matter what I do, I will always have tussles will Williams rely on as she gets being a close one and the fact that she American has so far unleashed 45 aces a great career.” Bottas leads Groenewegen wins Tour Stage 7 Hamilton in as Ciccone retains yellow jersey British GP REUTERS seconds off the pace, is expected CHALON SUR SAONE to try and regain the yellow practice jersey on a hilly course in central Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen France. REUTERS put his nightmare of a Tour de Riding in the yellow “I know that the terrain will SILVERSTONE France start behind him when jersey through France is suit him well and that six he won the seventh stage in a such a special feeling: seconds is nothing,” said Valtteri Bottas kept Mercedes bunch sprint after a pancake-flat Giulio Ciccone Ciccone, nicknamed Il Gekko for team-mate Lewis Hamilton off 230 km ride from Belfort his fast climbing abilities. the top of the timesheets in yesterday. “Riding in the yellow jersey practice for the Formula One The Jumbo-Visma rider, who stage in Brussels to don the through France is such a special leader’s home British Grand Prix crashed heavily in the opening yellow jersey, told a news feeling and I could really enjoy yesterday, with Ferrari emerging Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas stage in Brussels, beat Australian conference. it because the first 200 kilo- as best of the rest. during practice, yesterday. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) and “Today we did a very good metres were taken at a slow The Finn, 31 points behind the Slovak Peter Sagan (Bora Hans- job as a team. I was a bit boxed pace.” five times world champion after grohe) into second and third, in with 500 metres to go and I On the longest stage of the nine races, lapped the former air- Verstappen, winner of the Sainz was eighth. Romain respectively. asked Mike (Teunissen) to make race, Frenchmen Yoann Offredo field in one minute 26.732 previous race in Austria to end Grosjean provided a talking point It was Groenewegen’s fourth space for me and he put his life and Stephane Rossetto formed seconds on soft tyres. Mercedes’ run of 10 successive of the morning when he crashed stage win on the Tour, two years on the line to do it.” the day’s breakaway with vir- Crowd favourite Hamilton wins, was third fastest in the his Haas in the pit lane, smashing after his first came in the pres- Italian Giulio Ciccone (Trek tually no chance of going all the was 0.069 slower with Ferrari’s morning. the car’s front wing and leaving tigious final ride on the Champs Segafredo), who extended his way against a peloton working Charles Leclerc third in 1:26.929. Red Bull team boss Christian debris on track after exiting. Elysees in Paris. contract with Trek-Segafredo by towards a bunch sprint finish. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, Horner suggested earlier in the Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raik- “The start of the race what two years until 2021, retained Ireland’s Nicolas Roche lost winner at Silverstone last year but week that the pressure of trying konen stopped on track, bringing not what I’d expected but in the the overall lead.