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Azarenka took a set from Serena in their last three duels

Serena is playing Indian Wells final again after 15 years. She still didn't lose a set here this year, but she could've lost two. The Belarus gave Serena a pretty hard time last year, and pointed out that she doesn't want to settle with being close to her. Now is her chance

Serena coming back to Indian Wells last year was definitely one of the most interesting developments. After 14 years, Serena decided to let some things go and play this tournament. She got to the semifinal, retired against Halep because of her knee. But she was readier this year, and finally got to the final here, for the first time since 2001.

- I had a lot of support, I heard a lot of 'Go Serenas' and that was kind of cool. This year has been great. It feel so great to be supported. It's been a great comeback here in Indian Wells, so I'm excited about that. After the last final here, I never pictured myself being back. Definitely didn't think I would be in another final here, ever. I think it's kind of cool that I can really close the door by being in the final again - Serena said, alluding to the nasty words she heard in the final 15 years ago which made her decide not to play Indian Wells afterwards.

Serena didn't lose a set on her way to the final. She could've lost two, though. Putintseva gave her a hard time in the first set, even had two serves to win it. New problems took place against Agnieszka in the semis. Agnieszka had 3-1 in the first set, and two break chances, then a serve for winning the second set as well.

- I was up so much in the second and she just came back and was determined more than ever, so it was really good to play well against her tonight. I could have played three sets but I figured I should at least do 1,000 percent right now. That's what I tried to do - Serena added. Her ratio of wins and defeats in this tournament is 23-1 now.

She's going to face Azarenka in the finals. The rivalry between the two of them has definitely been the biggest one in the last years. If Serena weren't playing the Tour, Azarenka would definitely be the most dominant player out there. But what ifs...

- Sometimes it would be better for my biography if Serena weren't there - Azarenka said once.

This will be their 22nd duel ever. Serena won 18 times, once thanks to Azarena pulling out. But despite having only three wins, Azarenka is maybe the only player out there right now that can even be compared to Serena. Despite Kerber beating both Serena and Azarenka on her way to the Australian Open title, for example.

Serena and Azarenka have huge respect for each other. Serena is Azarenka's black cat, but Azarenka is definitely the best one to motivate her. The same could be said for Azarenka, who pointed out in an interview last year that she won't settle with being so close to Serena. She wants more.

They've faced each other four times in the last two seasons. Serena won all four, but Azarenka won a set in the last three each. She definitely could've done more. Just think of the three match-points in a row she had in Madrid. Azarenka knows how to deal with Serena, and she can do it, she's got the quality. Besides, she had a set advantage in the last two matches, and she can base her optimism here on Serena struggling, more or less, against better opponents.

Azarenka lost two sets on her way to the final. Stosur never gave the impression that she could win the last poin tin the fourth round, though. Azarenka's toughest test here so far was in the semis. There was logic to Karolina Pliskova's game. She had a break advantage in the first set against Azarenka, two set-points on return, and even a serve for the set.

Azarenka won, losing the second in the process, but mostly because her return break chances weren't that efficient. Karolina couldn't have done more, Azarenka improved significantly in the third set, and that's definitely the kind of game she wants to play against Serena today.

- I worked so hard this week to put myself in a position to play the best player in the world. That's exactly where I want to be. I want to go out there and try to play my best tennis, play high-quality tennis, do what I do in practice and just have fun - Azarenka said after getting to the final.

She'll definitely have to deal with the problems she had with her serve in some of the matches here. Especially against Karolina Pliskova, when she had a lot of double errors. She had ten in the first two sets, seven in only three serve games. Too many for a match like this one. Azarenka pointed out she'll have to focus on herself and her game because she can't control the opponent on the other side of the net. That's true, to a degree, because she can put the pressure on Serena with her game.

- What makes a champion is what you do when you're having problems, when things aren't going the way they're supposed to. I think I've learned through experience this year how to understand that better and how to overcome all of that - Azarenka concluded.

That's exactly the sentence that could be appointed to the last three matches between Azarenka and Serena. Serena was dangerously close to losing in Madrid, but ended up the winner. She lost the first set in their last two duels, but improved her game after that. So, she did have some ups and downs, lost some sets, but she found a way how to come back even better. That's what makes the difference in tennis today. That's why Serena has been so dominant for so many years, and that's what Azarenka has been doing against most of the other players. But, here is another chance for her against the best player of the world.

Hats off to Agnieszka Radwanska for getting the second place, and Kerber for winning Australian Open, but in the long run, the only one being worthy of comparison to Serena is Azarenka. The ranking doesn't show that this is the clash of two best world's players, but that will change. Azarenka took a set from Serena in their last three matches, she's got two wins before that, a set won at the US Open in the big final, another tight match in Brisbane. They've faced each other eight times in the last three years, and Serena got only one convincing win, and two defeats. Azarenka missed some key gears (Madrid last year, US Open three years ago) to get a few more wins. Their score could've been a lot different in the last three years.
I'd say Azarenka finally has everything clicked this year. True, she can play even better, but she's got the results. Serena struggled against three tough players here. Against Halep the least, but Putintseva had two set serves, Agnieszka had chances in two first sets. The match against the Polish shows Serena's problems. The problem with Agnieszka is that she doesn't have the strength, the depth of her hits, and she depends on the game on the other side of the match too much. If Azarenka was in her shows, I believe she'd win in straight sets.
The Belarus lost two sets here, against two aggressive players, but she never seemed like she could lose those matches. She reacted great against Stosur as well, and especially against Karolina Pliskova in the third set of the semis.
If this match was played in different circumstances, I wouldn't be writing this pick. There's a huge respect towards Serena and the way she got her wins against Azarenka, and also the way Azarenka was missing her chances. But I didn't expect these odds here. The court works for Azarenka here, the bounce and the speed of the court. In these conditions, she can show Serena's weaknesses. Putintseva and Agnieszka did it, and Azarenka's got more wild cards up her sleeve. Serena tends to have her ups and downs, amplitudes in her game, as was obvious in her last three matches against Azarenka, but also against Putintseva and Agnieszka here. The Belarus is even stronger, she took a set three times last year, and this season her tennis is even a level better.