Tennis fans eager for a breath of fresh air after the topsy-turvy 2009 season could not have asked for a better beginning to the new year.
Saturday’s women’s final at Melbourne will feature the two best players of the decade battling under the lights in Rod Laver Arena.
Justine Henin
After an absence from the game for nearly two years, Henin has been able to pick up right where she left off. Her passion has returned, her backhand is still the best on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and regardless of whether she wins or loses the final, she will be back inside the Top 50 and if she wins the title, the Top 25.
Serena Williams
The road to a title defense has not been easy over the past fortnight for Serena Williams, but she has proven her worth as one of the most determined and courageous players on the Tour. She may not be in the best physical condition, but any possible injuries have not gotten in the way of her heart. Staring at the brink of defeat at the hands of Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals, she rallied to produce the biggest comeback of the tournament.
The Head-to-Head
Saturday’s championship match will be the fourteenth meeting between Henin and Williams. Serena narrowly leads their head-to-head record 7-6.
Keys to the Match
Serve
The serve is Serena Williams’ strongest weapon and even if she is slightly banged up, it is still lethally accurate. Unfortunately, the same thing can’t be said about Justine Henin. Her serve always was her biggest liability during the first part of her career, and since returning, she’s had all kinds of trouble with her toss and double faults.
Fitness and Stamina
The edge has to go to Justine Henin as Serena Williams has been playing back-to-back singles and doubles for the past couple of days. I don’t expect for Serena Williams to come out on court exhausted, but she’ll want to keep this match short and sweet in two sets. If it goes into three sets, Henin could have the advantage.
The Fight Factor
The flare in Serena Williams’ eyes during the third set against Azarenka was chilling. She was a woman on a mission and was determined to fight till the end. She is a legendary fighter, but so is the petite Belgian she’s up against. Justine may be pint-sized, but she packs a gallon full of grit. In this department, they square up evenly.
The Final Outcome
Picking a winner between two women so evenly matched is difficult. I watched Justine Henin play exceptional tennis against Elena Dementieva in the best match of the Australian Open so far, but I also saw her struggle against Alisa Kleybanova. The Henin that dispatched Elena could certainly beat Serena, even if she is playing her best.
Ultimately, I think this has been a remarkable ride for Justine—and a sign of good things to come, especially at the next major. But for now, I think Serena Williams will walk away with her fifth Australian Open women’s singles title.
Who do you think will win the women’s title? Leave your pick in the comments!
Well I agree with you choice of a winner but take exception with the statement that the Henin that beat Demetiava would beat Serena; Real life result cannot be plucked from mismatch situation such as what one combatant did to a 3rd opponent – it not that clear cut. What I can say is that Henin’s best chance is now while Serena is banged up and she is not – however heart and determination on Serena’s part will make a difference ( as well as a fair amount of personal dislike of Justine).
i think serena will win she is still mad about the heavy fine and lost at us open
Justine Henin is probably *the greatest* clay court tennis player.
Having said that, leaving competitive tennis for, roughly, 20 months and then expecting to return and immediately beat Serena in a major final is a tall order right now seeing as how Clijster’s return (after 24 months) brought about a particularly ugly defeat for Serena (a loss which no doubt still stings **in addition to** the media flap over her tirade). It’s not a stretch to argue that Serena is keenly aware of the statement that critics and fans will read into a finals loss to someone who, until recently, wasn’t even on the tour.
Justine’s return has been a tremendous source of joy to me. Nevertheless, it will be at Roland Garros that Henin reasserts her dominance. In order for her to win here, Australia, Justine will have to play her very best tennis since this match doesn’t hold the same *must win* quality for her as it does for Serena. The pressure is, actually, not on Justine (come on, henin is overachieving just by making the final while unranked) the pressure’s on Serena, world number #1, and how does Serena play under pressure?
I have thought this was Serena’s tournament from the moment she stepped onto the court, but now I’m not so sure. Let’s just say I won’t be shocked if it turns out to be Henin in 3.
it is really hard deciding between them. eventually, i picked serena as well
Henin will win in straight sets. Serena will commit too many unforced errors b/c Henin will apply continuous pressure