Number one seed Maria Sharapova will be playing for her first Australian Open crown on Saturday, after defeating fourth seed and sentimental title favourite Kim Clijsters in straight sets 6-4 6-2. The Russian progresses after falling at the semi-final stage in the previous two Australian Opens. In the final she will meet American comeback queen Serena Williams who defeated up-and-coming Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova in two hard-fought sets 7-6 6-4.

Williams, the former world number one, dominated the sport in the first part of this decade. But injury and and a dip in form has seen her world ranking fall to 81. After a scratchy start to the tournament, Williams has shown the tennis world that her best may not be behind just yet , showing more determination and fight in making this Grand Slam final than the previous nine she participated in. Regardless of the result in Saturday's final, the American will once again be in the world top 20.

Williams was behind the eight-ball almost immediately after being broken in the opening game of the match, breaking back in the sixth game of the first set. Vaidisova broke back in the next game and served for the set. Williams survived set point and then went on to win the first set 7-5 in the tiebreaker.

The first three games in the second set went against serve, with Williams the only one of the two to hold serve in the first six games. Leading 5-1 it appeared that Williams was coasting but Vaidisova rallied, surviving four match points to win the next three games and take the scores to 4-5, only for Williams to serve out the match.

The win wasn't without controversy with allegations of unsportsmanlike conduct hanging over the Williams camp. John Barrett, Commentating for Seven Network claimed that a person in the Williams' players box was using a large-faced watch in an attempt to reflect sunlight into the eyes of the Czech. "It is an extraordinary coincidence that whenever Vaidisova is serving, that youngster seems to be getting (the sunlight) into the eyes of Vaidisova," Barrett told viewers as Seven showed footage of the young man adjusting his wrist attempting to catch a reflection.

Footage screened, which Seven claim was filmed during a Vaidisova service game, certainly did look suspicious but Vaidisova in her post-match media conference denied being troubled by sun reflections. "I really didn't notice that.” she said when asked about the claims. "It was sunny of course. But no, nothing really crazy that I noticed."