By Kamakshi Tandon

So we’re down to the closing stages of the tournament and everything is starting to slot into place. There were some twists and turns on the women’s side, but the final is pretty much what you would have expected when the draw came out – Justine Henin vs. the winner of the fourth-round match between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova... in this case, Serena Williams

Believe it or not, Williams and Henin haven’t played since 2003. They met three times that year - Henin won their two meetings on clay, one at Charleston and the other a controversial encounter at Roland Garros. Williams then got her revenge at Wimbledon a month later, winning in straight sets.

They’ve been through a lot physically and personally since then – Henin with a long-running virus that struck in 2004 and made her decide to limit her schedule ever since, and the breakup of her marriage late last year. Serena has had left knee troubles that have required two surgeries, and in September 2003, her half-sister Yetunde was shot and killed when visiting Compton.

When they have played for uninterrupted stretches, the two have been the most dominant players of the decade so far. For the most part, their periods at the top haven’t coincided – the exception being that brief period in the summer of 2003. This year could change that: rivals like Maria Sharapova, Amelie Mauresmo and Kim Clijsters are struggling mentally or physically – or nuptially – and the crop of –ovas and –vics behind them have continually missed chances to break through on big occasions.

Read the rest of this story in the Travelblogue...