Serena Williams takes on Maria Sharapova in tonight’s headline clash at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford.
It’s a match-up good enough for the US Open final later this summer and this clash of the two old rivals is sure to overshadow whatever happens in the rest of the tournament.
There has been no love lost between Williams and Sharapova in the past but recently both players have done their best to ease relationships between the two camps.
"I'm sure we'll both go out and do the best each of us can," Williams said. "It's nothing personal. It's my job and I want to get paid. I leave it on the court."
Serena has enjoyed an overwhelming edge over the Russian, winning six out of their eight career meetings. Sharapova may have destroyed her in that memorable 2004 Wimbledon final, aged just 17 but she has not beaten the 13-time Grand Slam champion since the WTA Tour Championships later that year.
However Sharapova will go into this one as favourite purely due to Serena’s inactivity over the past twelve months. This is only her third tournament back though she has looked remarkably sharp at times, double bagelling Anastasia Rodionova and battling past Maria Kirilenko.
Sharapova was severely tested by Daniela Hantuchova in the second round and was very fortunate to come through that match. Hantuchova hit her off the court in the second set and if she had not lost her way at the start of the decider, she would have almost certainly pulled off the upset. Williams will not be so forgiving.
Prediction: Serena to announce she’s back with a three set win.
