That the No. 1 and No. 2 women’s seeds would survive into the finals was a long shot at the start of the Australian Open; it’s not a regular occurrence on either tour. That they both had to save match points to get there—in Halep’s case, two times—makes this match feel like a minor miracle.
But it will be a major, winner-take-all battle. For Halep and Wozniacki, this may be the best chance they will ever have to tear the dreaded “Slamless No. 1” label off their backs. And speaking of No. 1, the winner of this match will also own that ranking on Monday. Halep is 26 and Wozniacki a sneaky-young 27, but a victory for either of them will be a career-changing experience.
Tennis Channel's panel of experts give their thoughts on the women's final: