Given the dogged, determined and injury niggling nature of Venus Williams tight 7-6, 7-5 victory over Ukraine's Kozlova in the first round of this tear's Australian Open, nobody with an ounce of Tennis nous would have thought she would be standing opposite the net from sister Serena in the final.
Venus has grown in confidence, strength and stature. This was epitomised through her powerful victory of the dangerous Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a gripping quarter final.
Serena has a plan b
It was in her 4th round victory of the skillful Czech Barbora Strycova, whereby Serena Williams changed.
Her first serve percentage, normally her devastating weapon, was a mere 48%. Yet, Serena did not put her head down and get dejected, she moved Strycova around the court and it is then, when the penny dropped that a Williams V Williams final was a definite possibility. This game has refocused Serena, as after that she had little problems disposing of Konta and then Lucic-Baroni.
The 9th Serena v Venus Grand Slam final
It is an often overlooked fact that Venus is chasing her 8th Grand Slam. All of the previous seven came at Wimbledon and the US Open, but Venus has looked like she is warming to this particular Grand Slam. It is their ninth Grand Slam final, but their first since Wimbledon 2009. As always, it will be a competitive no holds barred sort of a contest and tennis will definitely come out as the biggest winner.
Venus needs to unsettle Serena
In order for this match to become the spectacle of women's tennis that everyone wants it to be. Venus needs to seize the momentum at the start of each set and get at Serena early. Something that Lucic-Baroni failed to do against Serena in their semi-final. Astonishingly, despite the fact that Serena has had little game time this year due to injury, she has yet to drop a set - it's looking a bit ominous for any opponent.
However, a Williams v Williams final is different, form goes out of the window. There is so much at stake for both players. It will be tough for Venus, but she is not out of this.
Prediction: Serena should win it and make the magical 23rd Grand Slam mark, but Venus should take a set off her. That's an achievement in itself.
