Australian Open finals set

Americans Serena Williams(7) is playing Lindsay Davenport(1) tonight (6:30pm PST, 9:30pm EST on ESPN2) for the 2005 Australian Open title. Serena has a 13-match winning streak at this tournament (she won the 2003 title but did not play in 2004 due to injury) and is gunning for her 7th major victory. Lindsay, who became Number 1 without winning a major tournament last year, is aiming at her 4th major title (her first since the 2000 Australian Open) and a chance to retire at the top of the game. Serena is up 12-8 in head-to-head matches played, but Lindsay won the last two. PREDICTION: Serena, in 3 sets.

Australian Llewton Hewitt will be playing Russian Marat Safin for the men's title in local prime time Sunday (12:30am PST, 3:30am EST repeated 9am PST, noon EST on ESPN2). Hewitt has 2 major titles (2001 U.S. Open, 2002 Wimbledon) while Safin has 1 (2000 U.S. Open) but has made it to the Australian Open final this year, last year (lost to Federer) and 2002 (lost to Johansson). Safin won an amazing 5th set match against one of the best players ever (Federer) in the semifinal round (9-7 in the 5th!). PREDICTION: Safin, in 4 sets.

I'm working on a post which will be a Grand Slam review of the Highlights/Lowlights of the 2005 Australian Open, I hope to publish it this weekend after the Men's Final.