One of Justine Henin's favorite moments at a Grand Slam comes right before she walks onto center court for the final, when the locker room is almost empty and totally quiet - a moment of calm before the storm.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner has savored that moment 11 times in her career and will do so again when she meets No. 1-ranked Serena Williams at the Australian Open final.
Henin's stunning success comes only two tournaments into her return from a 20-month retirement, a comeback that the Belgian herself has called "extraordinary" and Williams called an "amazing" story.
"It's more than a dream for me," Henin said Friday. "The challenge of facing the No. 1 player in the world is magnificent."
The day before the big match, Henin spoke about her plans for dinner (Italian), her state of mind and the feeling of being back in a Grand Slam final.
"It's marvelous," she said. "I love the end of a tournament when nobody's in the hallway and the locker room is empty and everything is calm."
Henin and Williams both agree that their centre-court showdown will be as much a mental battle as a physical one.
"We both want it. But we'll just see who's playing better tomorrow," Williams said after she and sister Venus won their fourth Australian Open doubles title.
The top-ranked Williams and the former No. 1-ranked Henin have a long and intense rivalry that has never included a Grand Slam final.
They have played 13 times, including six Grand Slam showdowns that went as far as only the semifinals. Serena holds a 7-6 edge in their overall matchups. In Grand Slams, Henin leads 4-2.
Henin has said she was inspired to return to tennis in part by the comeback of fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, who won the US Open after taking off two years to get married and have a baby.
The return of Henin and Clijsters has restored some life and rivalries to the women's game, which has many promising newcomers but suffered some lacklustre finals in their absence.
"It's just been amazing," Serena said. "I mean, her and Kim, such a great story. Justine hasn't been gone that long, but it's still a good story."
The final offers another good story line of two champions battling to be the best of their generation. Williams leads with 11 Grand Slam singles trophies to Henin's seven.
Williams has won all four majors, proving her superiority on all surfaces - clay, hard court and grass. Williams also boasts more prize money from her wins, with $28.5 million since turning pro in 1995 compared to Henin's $19.4 million.
The Belgian turned pro in 1999. But Henin has spent more time at No. 1 - 117 weeks compared to Williams' 89 weeks - in a shorter time span.
The two players have dramatically different styles - Williams' game is about power and aggressiveness while the petite Henin is an intense, elegant presence on the court with a sublime backhand that John McEnroe has called one of the best shots in the game.
But they describe each other in similar terms - as a fighter with supreme physical abilities and the mental strength to rally for the victory.
"She is a real champion," Henin said of Williams. "We're both fighters. We want to win. And I think maybe we helped each other to get better."
Asked to list Henin's strengths, Williams summed them up briefly: "I think, it's a case of - what doesn't she do well.
"We bring out the best game in each other," said the 28-year-old Williams. "I think that we both just play our hearts out. I think that's what creates a good rivalry."
Another factor going into the final is what Henin calls her mental and physical "freshness." At the height of her career, Henin stunned the tennis world by announcing in May 2008 that she had lost her passion for the sport.
She became the first woman to walk away from the sport while ranked No. 1. She wanted to escape her "tennis bubble" and experience life.
Along the way found that she missed tennis and had some unfinished business to tend to, namely Wimbledon, the only Grand Slam she hasn't won.
In Melbourne, Henin is riding a wave of newfound self-confidence that has grown with each match. She unveiled a stronger serve and new aggressiveness at the net that have combined with her explosive speed and sublime one-handed backhand.
She has spoken about her return as if it were destined to happen.
"I feel like it's my place to be here," Henin said after her first-round win and repeatedly afterward.
If Williams wins, she will tie Billie Jean King for a career total of 12 Grand Slam singles titles.
"It will be a defining match for both of us," Williams said. "It definitely will be mental and [about] who wants the title more and who's willing to go the extra step."