With the grass season now in the books and attention turning towards the United States hard courts, the two finalists of Wimbledon have much to aim for as the season strides into the second half.

Serena Williams has now pocketed the first three major championships of the year and with one piece of the puzzle remaining, she has her eye on a calendar year Grand Slam. With a U. S. Open title, Williams would not only become just the fourth woman to earn this difficult feat, and the second in the Open era, but also she would equal Steffi Graf with 22 career major titles, the most in the Open era.

However, much as the world No. 1 would not discuss the possibility of a “Serena Slam” prior to Wimbledon, she is avoiding discussion of accomplishing a true Grand Slam now. But while she may not be engaging in talk regarding the topic, it is clearly on her mind. After winning a first-round match at the Swedish Open, Williams withdrew from the tournament with elbow pain and has chosen to skip an upcoming team tennis competition with the Washington Kastles later in the month. Planning to be in peak shape for the U. S. Open, Williams stated, “As much fun as we have been having the past eight or so weeks, I have to take some time to let my elbow heal.” Understanding the upcoming goal at hand, she added that she is “confident it will be ready for the rest of the summer.”

With very few individual achievements left to conquer, a calendar year Grand Slam could cap off a career that may lead many to believe that Williams is the greatest woman who has ever played the game. Of course, some will argue against that, but certainly adding a championship in New York along with the WTA year-end championships would make a strong case that her 2015 season is one of the greatest known by anyone ever wielding a racket.

Milestones now drive Williams as she heads towards the twilight of her career, although the 33-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down, much less stopping. Amazingly, she has won Grand Slams this year while not playing her best at times, exposing the gap that exists between her and the rest of the pack even at this point in her career. Certainly, tennis fans are witnessing a season for the ages and one that could be historical before all is said and done.

Meanwhile, Wimbledon runner-up Garbine Muguruza has carved out a nice season of her own. The Spaniard has finally overcome injuries and setbacks and is now finally living up to projections placed upon her. Once labeled as one of the future champions of the sport, she has now broken into the world top 10.

Currently ranked ninth in the world and healthy, the 21-year-old is realistically in the discussion as a potential contender at the U. S. Open and could qualify for the year-end WTA finals in Singapore as well. With a power game that stands up to the big hitters and an acute focus on the court, the sky is the limit.

The Barcelona resident has defeated nine top-15 players in 2015 and has stood toe-to-toe with the best in the world, including twice challenging Williams in Grand Slam events. Despite falling short in those two matches, Muguruza proved that she is not intimidated by the best and appears to have an intangible determination driving her to be the best. If she remains injury-free, many (including Williams) feel that it is just a matter of time before she hoists a major championship trophy.

However, the Spaniard is approaching a portion of the season that was difficult for her last year. In 2014, she was just 5-5 during the North American hard-court swing, including first-round losses at the U. S. Open and Cincinnati. She has much to prove in the next several weeks, but given her ascendance and ability to take a challenge head-on, there should likely be a noteworthy improvement during the upcoming segment.

Regardless, Muguruza has elevated her status from that of an up-and-comer to someone who is now mentioned with some of the best names on tour. She will look to maintain and build upon an already successful year as the season moves forward.

Both Williams and Muguruza hope that their success in London is a harbinger for the remainder of 2015. And, although they may have different short-term motivations, there are common goals ahead. There is a strong possibility that they could cross paths again as they seek to accomplish them.