Women's French Open Betting: No denying Serena another title

7Jun 2013

Roland Garros

The top two women in tennis come face-to-face in the final at Roland Garros, and Abelson Info preview the climax to the French Open 2013...

World number one Serena Williams entered the tournament a fortnight ago as a strong favourite to clinch her second title in Paris.

The American hasn't disappointed and has gone about her business in brutal fashion, dropping just one set in the entire tournament thus far and enters the final off the back of an incredibly dominant performance.

She took just 46 minutes to cruise past fifth seed Sara Errani, unleashing 40 winners and allowing her opponent just sixteen points and one game in the entire match. As a result, she is now into her 20th Grand Slam final, and couldn't be in better shape as she takes her winning streak to an unbelievable 30 matches.

It has been over ten years since she last lifted the trophy at Roland Garros, but considering her form over the last few months on clay in which she has picked up titles in Madrid and Rome, it won't be long before she can add another to her collection.

The top seed has revealed she will go into the final "and try to do the best I can". The problem for her opponent is that hardly any athlete on the tour can compete when she is on her game.

World number two Maria Sharapova stands in her way, and after a relatively untroubled start to the tournament, the Russian has now come through two back-to-back grueling three-set matches.

The defending champion showed all her grit and determination in bouncing back against Jelena Jankovic, but was made to demonstrate it once more as she eventually overcame third seed Victoria Azarenka in the semi-finals.

It is already the best defence of a title in her career, as she clings on to the trophy she won here twelve months ago. However, if she has aspirations of coming out on top on Saturday, she will have to produce a near-perfect performance.

History does not support a case of the Russian producing a major shock, as her head-to-head record with Williams makes for dire reading.

The pair have met on fifteen previous occasions, with Sharapova winning just two matches. Further, her last win came way back in 2004, with Serena rattling off twelve consecutive wins since.

Three of those clashes have come on clay, with Williams winning two in straight sets, with their most recent match coming in the final in Madrid last month. Sharapova was predictably unable to contain and compete with her rival, and unfortunately for the former world number one it could be a similar outcome on Saturday.

Given Serena's destruction of Errani in the last round, it is difficult to see how Sharapova can merely keep up with her pace. However, she has shown herself more than capable on this surface over the last two years and won't go without a fight.

Ultimately though, it all suggests another title for Serena Williams.