While most of the focus will be on the Australian Open men's final, the women's final pitting No. 3 Victoria Azarenka against No. 4 Maria Sharapova has enough interesting storylines to warrant staying up extra late this weekend.
Women's Singles Final - Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 a.m. EST (ESPN2)
Women's Singles Final - Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 a.m. EST (ESPN2)
Match Details
Victoria Azarenka vs Maria Sharapovalive
Women's Singles - Finals
Date : 28 January 2012
Time : 08:30 GMT
Competition: Tennis – ATP Australian Open
Broadcast : Live
Live Streaming Links
If you're an East Coaster, then you'll have to stay up until 3 a.m. on Friday night (or Saturday morning) simply to see the start of the match. If you can't make it to that point, though, you had better have your DVR recording as Azarenka and Sharapova are sure to put on an entertaining power display.
Victoria Azarenka vs Maria Sharapovalive
Women's Singles - Finals
Date : 28 January 2012
Time : 08:30 GMT
Competition: Tennis – ATP Australian Open
Broadcast : Live
Live Streaming Links
If you're an East Coaster, then you'll have to stay up until 3 a.m. on Friday night (or Saturday morning) simply to see the start of the match. If you can't make it to that point, though, you had better have your DVR recording as Azarenka and Sharapova are sure to put on an entertaining power display.
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Azarenka qualified for her first Grand Slam final by beating Kim Clijsters in the semis, and she has played Sharapova tough over the years, earning a split over six matches. Perhaps the only player who can match Sharapova's grunting, Azarenka is also one of the few who can match Sharapova's power.
After beating Clijsters in a great three-set affair, Azarenka dropped to her knees and began sobbing. There is no question that reaching a Grand Slam final is an accomplishment, but maybe Azarenka should have reined in her celebration a bit as she has plenty of work left to do.
Sharapova has been business as usual for the entire tournament. Her semifinal battle with No. 2 Petra Kvitova was the first worrisome match as the big Czech lefty beat Sharapova in the Wimbledon final last year. Sharapova atoned for that loss, however, by winning an exciting three-set decision.
After she lost in the Wimbledon final last year I think Sharapova will be extremely focused this time around. Perhaps she lost to Kvitova last year simply because she was the better player, but I think Sharapova might have taken her inexperienced opponent a bit too lightly.
There is no chance of that happening once again as Sharapova is very aware of what Azarenka can do. If Azarenka wins it will be her first Grand Slam title which will be special in and of itself, but if Sharapova wins it will be her fourth and her first since surgery to repair a potentially-catastrophic shoulder injury.
Not only would a win confirm that Sharapova is officially back, but it would also net her the No. 1 ranking and perhaps cement her as one of the better women's players of all time. With Aussie Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles already to her name, Sharapova doesn't have much to prove, but I think she wants to prove some things to herself.
The women's final will be of the utmost quality in terms of tennis and that alone should be enough to tune in. In addition to that, there is something alluring about a first-time finalist taking on a battle-tested veteran like Sharapova. Whatever the result, we will all be a witness to tennis history
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