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After what has been an upset-ravaged women’s draw at the US Open, finally we are down to the championship match which will pit the current world number one, Serena Williams, up against the resurgent former world number one, Caroline Wozniacki.
Both players endured poor form at the Grand Slams this year, with neither being able to reach a quarter-final entering the US Open. However, it’s here that these two players have bounced back to their best form, which justifies them meeting in Monday morning’s (AEST) decider.
Not only will Williams be chasing her 18th Grand Slam title, she will also be chasing two milestones that she has never achieved: a sixth title at any Grand Slam tournament, and a hat-trick of US Open titles.
Standing in her way is formerly top-ranked Wozniacki, who will be making her first Grand Slam final since losing to comeback Belgian Kim Clijsters at Flushing Meadows five years ago as a 19-year-old.
Since then she reigned as the top-ranked player for 67 weeks without reaching another Grand Slam final, but poor results at major tournaments subsequently saw her drop to her current ranking of 11th.
Serena Williams may had endured an unusually poor year at the Grand Slams this year, having failed to get past the fourth round at the Australian and French Opens, as well as at Wimbledon, but there is no doubting that she saves her very best form for the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, where she feels right at home.
Her form leading up to New York was also just as exceptional, winning titles in Stanford and Cincinnati on either side of a semifinal loss to older sister Venus at the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
It’s this form which makes her the sentimental favourite to triumph at Flushing Meadows for a sixth time, something she has never achieved at any of the other three Grand Slam tournaments.
On the other end of the scale, Caroline Wozniacki appears to be rediscovering her form at the right time, and this can indirectly be attributed to her sudden split from Rory McIlroy in May.
Since losing in the first round of the French Open (which immediately followed the split), the Dane has regained the form which saw her reign as world number one between October 2010 and January 2012.
She won her first title for the year at Istanbul in July, then followed it up by reaching the quarterfinals and semifinals at Montreal and Cincinnati respectively, losing on both occasions to Serena Williams after taking the first set.
Regardless of how she fares in the final, she will be guaranteed to return to the top 10 in the rankings, overtaking the Serbian pair of Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, who have both once again under performed at the Slams this year.
But to win her first Grand Slam title on Monday morning, Wozniacki will have to overcome a lopsided record against Serena Williams, having defeated her just once in nine previous meetings, at Miami in 2012.
That’s the task facing Wozniacki. Can she reverse her poor record against Williams and break through for the first time?
Stats – Serena Williams (1) versus Caroline Wozniacki (10)
Head-to-head: Williams 8-1
Head-to-head at Grand Slams: Williams 1-0
Last meeting: Williams won 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, semi-finals, 2014 Cincinnati Masters
Last meeting at a Grand Slam: Williams won 6-2, 6-4, semi-finals, 2011 US Open
The verdict
Since 2011, Serena Williams has always entered the US Open as the hot favourite and this year her pre-tournament favouritism was vindicated with titles in Stanford and Cincinnati.
Additionally, she has benefited from a draw which opened up with pre-final obstacles Samantha Stosur, Ana Ivanovic, Petra Kvitova, Eugenie Bouchard and Victoria Azarenka all crashing out before the semifinals.
Many have argued that it is Williams’ title to lose, but Caroline Wozniacki will present a challenge despite her poor record against the American.
Williams will not have it easy against Wozniacki, who pushed her to three sets in Montreal and Cincinnati, but the American will be up for the challenge and should emerge victorious.
Prediction
Serena Williams in straight sets.
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