Just Williams for the Final Again

And now for something completely the same. The double-pronged Belgian challenge of Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin-Hardenne to the dominance of the Williams sisters proved, like so many of that country's exquisite chocolates, to have a soft centre. And so for the fourth consecutive women's grand slam final, and the fifth in the last six, Serena will play Venus for the title in the Rod Laver Arena tomorrow.

On this occasion the particular point of interest will be whether Serena, the world No1, can complete the non-calendar grand slam, having last year beaten Venus in the French, Wimbledon and US Open finals. She has clearly proved herself the better player over the last year and a half. However, Serena has had a much tougher time of it here than her older sister and was fortunate to wriggle out of the semi-final against Clijsters, who held a 5-1 lead in the third before Williams prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Clijsters wandered around afterwards with radiant smiles for everybody who wished to talk to her, leaving an impression that perhaps she might have displayed just a little more obvious disappointment. But that is not her nature. Her attitude to the highs and lows of sport has always been remarkably balanced; she loves winning but steadfastly refuses to let her heart bleed in public if matters turn against her.

"Serena started playing much more aggressively in that last set and hardly made any unforced errors compared with the beginning. If she plays her best tennis it is always hard to beat her and that's what she did," said Clijsters. "I gave everything I had and was really close to winning."

The 19-year-old Belgian, girlfriend of the men's world No1 Lleyton Hewitt, who was at courtside throughout, denied that she had suffered an attack of nerves when she served for a place in the final at 5-2 and missed two match points. "No, no. She took the risk, came to the net and just went for it. All credit to her for taking such a big risk. No, I wasn't nervous," said Clijsters.

Many will feel Clijsters was in denial, for it seemed clear enough that she was consumed by nerves, notably when she served for the match a second time at 5-4 and sent down two double-faults. Williams certainly responded to adversity with a champion's composure and resolve but, once Clijsters was broken again, defeat rushed in on her with self-inflicted haste.

"It was just an unbelievable battle out there," said Williams who, like Venus, will be playing in her first Australian Open final.

"Kim was doing all the right things at all the right times, playing great tennis. She's not only a good tennis player but she's a great person and I think she'll make a great champion because she is always positive. Even if inside she's dying, she always smiles."

It is to be hoped so and there is no doubt that the teenage Clijsters, now free of injury, has made sharp progress over the last few months, with victories over both the Williams sisters at the end-of-season championships in Los Angeles last year. "She's always been a tough competitor," the victorious Serena added. "She's the main challenge to the Williams sisters."

Henin-Hardenne posed less of a threat to Venus, who won her semi-final 6-3, 6-3. The constant question is whether those chasing the Williams sisters are closing the gap. "I was talking to Serena in the locker room about it the day before our match," said Clijsters, "and Serena said 'Oh, I'm so sick of all these questions.' I said 'Well, so am I, why don't we boycott it all.' But I think our semi-final showed, and also other matches here, that more players are getting close to them, not just me."

But they are not close enough, hence yet another all-Williams jamboree tomorrow. It is now five years since the sisters first played each other as professionals, in the second round of the Australian Open, with Venus beating her little sister 7-6, 6-1. On that occasion the publicity was intense and the novelty value huge but tomorrow's meeting, judging by the crowd's response yesterday to their joint victories, will not be greeted with unconfined joy and delight.

Serena suffered problems with blisters against Clijsters and took a double injury break at 2-1 down, which annoyed the crowd. It is unlikely the blisters will impede her seriously in the final, although she admitted: "Venus is playing a little better than me at this tournament, so I've got to pull something out of my back pocket.

"I hate to lose and it's the same with her, maybe more so," said Venus. The last time Serena lost a grand slam match was against Venus in the 2001 US Open final.

Venus may be due another victory but the prospect of the non-calendar slam, plus all the money and endorsements attached, should see Serena home and underline her superiority over her sister as well as everybody else.

2001 US Open

Venus won 6-2, 6-4

2002 French Open

Serena 7-5, 6-3

2002 Wimbledon

Serena 7-6, 6-3

2002 US Open

Serena 6-4, 6-3