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Nominating no obvious flaws in their rival’s games, court warriors Justine Henin and Serena Williams are bracing themselves for a classic tennis dogfight in Saturday night’s Australian Open final at Melbourne Park.
Forget Henin’s brutal backhand or Williams’s thunderous serve, both combatants know this match will be won inside minds as much as inside the lines.
“It’s going to be really mental. The one who will want it more will win probably,” Henin said on Friday.
“I know I’ll have to be aggressive generally and use my qualities. I have the determination and the ambition, of course, but what I know is that I’m going to have to be at my best.
“She has proved that she is a real champion and a real fighter. And I did also earn my way and proved also in the past that I can come back from any situation.
“So it’s great when you have two fighters on the court that never give up and I hope we’re going to find this attitude, this mentality, so we can give something else.”
Williams says Henin is “absolutely” right.
“It definitely will be mental and who wants it more, who wants the title more and who’s willing to go the extra step,” the world No.1 said on Friday.
“I think we both want it, but we’ll just see who’s playing better tomorrow. I definitely feel like I am hungry.”
Clashing for a 14th time – but, astonishingly, the first time in a grand slam final – there will be no love lost, despite the public respect.
Henin insists they have moved on from their 2003 French Open spat – when the Belgian was accused of “lying and fabricating” after interrupting the American’s serve but then denying it to the umpire.
It is well-known in tennis circles, though, that Williams and Henin are unlikely to ever be found engaging in locker room small talk, let alone sharing dinner.
Both desperately want to win, desperately want to take the other down.
Don’t for a minute believe Henin’s assertion that 20 months out of the game has given the 27-year-old the perspective that winning slams is no longer the most important pursuit in her life.
“I will take it, of course, as a bonus, and I want it. But I feel more mature about that,” she unconvincingly said.
“It was everything for me before. It’s not the only thing in my life right now.”
Historically, the stakes are high for both.
Williams, already a four-time Open champion, can join her idol Billie Jean King in equal-sixth place on the all-time grand slam leader board with 12 majors.
Only Australian Margaret Court Smith (24), Steffi Graf (22), Helen Wills Moody (19), Martina Navratilova (19) and Chris Evert (18) have won more.
Henin is bidding to win an eighth major in just her second tournament back from retirement, which would better fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters’ feat of landing her second slam three events into her return last year at the US Open.
“It’ll be a defining match for both of us,” Williams acknowledged.
This time last year, Henin was in Congo for UNICEF.
“My mind was somewhere else,” the unranked wildcard said.
“At that time I could never think that a year later I would be in this final.”
The two superstars had contrasting build-ups on Friday.
Henin had a light hit and an hour in the gym, while Williams teamed with sister Venus to help herself to a fourth Australian Open doubles crown.
Far from sapping her, Williams said victory had re-energised her, following her draining 7-6 7-6 singles semi-final win over China’s Li Na on Friday.
“I’m definitely more upbeat,” Serena said after the 6-4 6-3 win over top seeds Cara Black and Leizel Huber.
“It always feels good that I’m going home with at least one title … it makes me happy.”
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