Wimbledon ladies’ semis: Serena Williams renews Sharapova rivalry

Serena Williams, Coral’s odds-on 4/9 favourite to be Wimbledon ladies’ singles champion for the sixth time, defends her outstanding head-to-head record against Russian rival Maria Sharapova in this year’s semi-finals.

The winner of that mega match-up between two of the WTA Tour’s most popular pros will play either Spanish surprise package Garbine Muguruza or 2012 runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska.

Serena Williams v Maria Sharapova
Sharapova famously slayed Serena in the 2004 final at SW19, but since recording another win against her that year has been thwarted on every occasion. This explains her status as 7/2 match outsider.

Williams may be a strong odds-on 1/5 favourite to reach yet another Wimbledon final, but she has not had it all her own way en route to the last four. She dropped sets to Heather Watson and Victoria Azarenka, an opponent she had always dominated in straight sets before their quarter-final fixture.

More serene progress followed for Sharapova until she found herself a set down against Serena’s fellow American and unseeded over-achiever Coco Vandeweghe in the last eight.

Although four of their five Grand Slam meetings in the last decade have been decided without going the distance, recent matches suggest this could be a three-set classic. Serena is 11/4 to win 2-1, while Sharapova is 13/2 to record that scoreline.

Garbine Muguruza v Agnieszka Radwanska
The head-to-head record between Venezuelan-born Muguruza and 7/1 tournament chance Radwanska reads two victories apiece, so that suggests there’s little to choose between them.