FORMER LADIES CHAMPION Maria Sharapova is hoping her Grand Slam experience will tell at SW19 this afternoon.

It’s been seven years since the Russian won her first Major title in London as a 17-year-old and she is a heavy favourite considering that her opponent, Czech Petra Kvitova, has never appeared in a Grand Slam final before now.

Sharapova, the former world number one, looked set to challenge the Williams sisters’ dominance of ladies tennis until a shoulder injury and a subsequent operation saw her momentum grind to a complete stop in 2008. It has taken her much longer than expected to get back on track but she is looking much sharper in recent months.

Speaking on Friday, Sharapova said:

“You obviously hope that you can be in the final stages every single year, but I guess it’s just not meant to happen. This is the year I’m supposed to be back in the final. I don’t know why. I’m not going to question it.

“I had time to reflect on my career and things that I’ve achieved. But I think I was always looking towards the future more than anything than in the past, because that’s where I was trying to envision myself at some point to be getting back out there.”

Having reach the final, Kvitova cannot not be ruled out completely. She is a left-handed player and has hit 35 aces in her six matches over the past two weeks. Her serve was a key factor in the win over Victoria Azarenka in the pair’s semi-final clash and she will need to have it in good working order to take the match to Sharapova.

Interestingly, she hadn’t won a match on grass before her run to the last four at Wimbledon last year and has since won three WTA Tour titles and surged into the top ten. Ahead of the match, she said:

“I’m not nervous. I’m looking forward to (the match), for sure. I slept well. It’s OK.”

- Additional reporting from AP