Rematch or Revenge: [1] Serena Williams (USA) vs [5] Maria Sharapova (RUS)

These two have met in many important matches, and Serena Williams has won all of these matches for more than a decade.  The reasons for their one-sided match record break down as follows:

1. Both Players are Good at First Strike Tennis and Taking Over a Point Early
2. Because of #1, both Players have to Play some Defensive Tennis Against the Other
3. Serena is an Excellent Player when Dictating Play and when Reacting to her Opponent
4. Maria Sharapova has a Major Drop Off when Forced to Play Defensive Tennis
5. Serena’s Serve is a Huge Comparative Advantage versus Maria
6. Serena Competes Hard as Well – Maria Wins Some Matches due to Superior Mental Toughness

Sharapova is likely to give it her best, but too many points are played in which she is at a disadvantage for her to be considered a favorite.

My Prediction: Serena Williams d. Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3