So, the world's top two will meet in a major final for the first time since the Australian Open 2004 and for the first time in Paris since 1995! Williams will be almost impossible to beat and Sharapova will have to hope for some divine intervention!
These two players have dominated the year thus far. Williams is looking for her 6th title in her 7th final, whilst Sharapova looks for her third in her fifth. Williams has won her last 4 events, is on a 30 match winning streak and is unbeaten on clay, whilst Sharapova hasn't lost to a player other than Williams on clay since 2011!
Williams has dropped only 21 games en route to the final, whilst Sharapova has dropped two sets. Both have won the title before; if Williams wins it will be the longest gap between a first and second French Open title of all time, whilst Sharapova looks to become the first woman since Henin in 2007 to defend her title.
Williams leads the head to head series 13-2, having now won the last 12 since 2004! Though they are tied at 1-1 in major finals, Williams leads 3-1 in all majors, 5-2 in any final and 3-0 on clay. So far this year, 3 of Sharapova's losses have been to Williams. On top of this, Williams has won 15 of her 19 major finals, compared to Sharapova whose ratio is much closer at 4 won out of 7!
Sharapova can't lose her serve early; she must get ahead and stay there. The first serve percentage will be key so it must be high and Sharapova must use angles. She must play like she did at Wimbledon 2004; perfectly! Anything less and Williams will romp home with a 16th major and become the oldest champion here in the Open Era.
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