2016 Australian Open Women's Final Preview: S. Williams vs. Kerber

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Should the question be, “Who is going to win?” Or should it be, “How many games is the loser going to get?” That would seem to be the only suspenseful aspect of this match.

Williams has been to six Australian Open finals, and has won them all. She’ll be going for her 22nd major title in 26 finals; the last time she lost one was in 2011. Kerber, on the other hand, will be playing in her first major final, at age 28. It’s an experience that tends to be a little nerve-wracking, especially when you’re trying to settle in while also fending off an early onslaught from the No. 1 player in the world.

Williams has won five of their six previous meetings—including the last four, all in straight sets. Kerber’s lone victory did happen on a hard court, in Cincinnati in 2012, but Serena was coming off a double-gold effort at the London Olympics and didn’t seem too broken up about making an early exit from Ohio. Serena will fire away as always; the question will be whether the defensive-minded Kerber can get enough balls back to sow a seed of doubt in the American’s mind.

That seed can be planted; in the French Open and Wimbledon finals last year, it took Serena two tries to close out her seemingly overmatched opponents. So far in Australia, where she has yet to drop a set, she’s been pretty sure of herself.

Winner: Williams