Wimbledon: Angelique Kerber hopes to inflict further grand slam scar on Serena Williams

American Williams was fiercely critical of the Women’s Tennis Association ranking system seven years ago, after landing the Wimbledon title meant she owned three grand slams but still sat at No 2, behind the major-less Russian Dinara Safina.

If German left-hander Kerber adds Wimbledon’s Venus Rosewater Dish to her Australian Open title, then she will be the owner of two slams yet stand adrift of Williams, who will be the holder of none, on the WTA computer.

After landing the third of her six Wimbledon titles in 2009, Williams said: “I’d rather definitely be No 2 and hold three grand slams in the past year than be No 1 and not have any.”

She heads into today’s final against Kerber as firm favourite, but that was the case in Australia at the start of the year when Kerber upset her in the final.

It was also the case in Paris last month as Garbine Muguruza caused a Roland Garros title match shock.

And it was emphatically so at the US Open last September when Williams, hunting a calendar grand slam, was ousted by Roberta Vinci in the semi-finals.

Lose on Centre Court and Williams will be without a singles grand slam for the first time in four years.

The 34-year-old takes pride in sitting top of the rankings, which is where she is guaranteed to stay for a 178th consecutive week when the new list is published on Monday, however the match against Kerber plays out.

“It is significant to me,” Williams said. “No one wants to give it up when they have it.

“Obviously I have a lot of tough competition. But at the same time, I am going to have to work really hard, be really determined, especially with this summer coming up, to hold on to it.”

According to fellow American Chris Evert, whose 18 grand slam titles included three at Wimbledon, Williams must make an imposing start and put behind her the disappointment of the last three majors.

Evert said: “We know you can’t underestimate Angelique Kerber. If Serena comes out a little tight like she has in the past three –two finals and the US Open – and Kerber’s on top of her game, we’re going to see an upset.”

In Williams’s sights is a seventh Wimbledon title and also the 22nd grand slam that would move her level with Steffi Graf at the top of the open era list of champions.

John McEnroe, whose charge Milos Raonic has reached the men’s final, believes the defending champion will be feeling the weight of expectation.

“There’s no question about it: there’s a lot more pressure on Serena Williams,” McEnroe said.

“She wants to leave no doubt whatsoever in anyone’s mind that she’s the greatest player that ever played on a tennis court.

“To do that sometimes superhuman efforts are required and at other times the human part comes into it where you actually look mortal.

“That’s what happened to Serena at the US Open last year: she was human.”

Kerber celebrated her Australian Open win with a dip in Melbourne’s Yarra River, but when asked if she would be tempted by the Thames, she said: “I think this time, no.”

The 28-year-old has always dreamed of following fellow compatriot Graf onto the Wimbledon roll of honour, and spent time with her in Las Vegas in late March, practising with both Graf and the 47-year-old’s husband Andre Agassi.

Kerber said: “She has always been my idol, she still is my idol, but I want to go my own way and I will try to win my finals like she won her finals.

“I’m trying to keep loyal to my own style. I’m not going to change anything about that and I know that right from the start I have to get Serena moving.

“I think she’ll also be under pressure because she lost the last two finals and she wants to write history.

“I know what she’s like and she’ll do her utmost in order not to lose a third time.

“But I’m going to stand on the other side and I’ll do my best to make sure she loses a third time. I hope I can beat her again.”