LONDON, UK - It very nearly didn't happen, but it is the final many people expected, not least the protagonists themselves. For the second year in a row, and fourth time overall, the Williams sisters are set to do battle for the Ladies' Singles crown at the All England Club. It will also be the 12th Wimbledon final featuring two American players, ensuring an apt 4th of July champion.

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Centre Court
[3] Venus Williams (USA) vs. [2] Serena Williams (USA)
Tied at 10-10

Countless statistics illuminate the astonishing success of the Williams family unit. Between them, these brilliant sisters hold 17 Grand Slam singles titles - 10 for Serena, two of them at Wimbledon, and seven for Venus, five of them earned here. Indeed, together they have won seven of the nine Wimbledon singles titles on offer since 2000, proving they are the finest grass court players of their time. The only breaks in the chain have come in 2004, when Maria Sharapova beat Serena in the final, and 2006, when Amélie Mauresmo defeated Justine Henin - the only time all decade that a Williams was not in the championship match.

Then, of course, they have won the doubles here together three times, and remain in contention this year. But that's a story for another day.

On Saturday, each sister will be contesting her 14th Grand Slam singles final; 27-year-old Serena's record reads 10-3, while 29-year-old Venus is 7-6, with five or her six losses coming at the hands of her little sister. It is the eighth time they have played each other in the final of one of the majors, with Serena ahead 5-2. In the Open era the rivalry is second only to that shared by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who contested 14 Grand Slam finals.

The most recent Grand Slam final contested by the siblings was, of course, right here 12 months ago, with Venus the victor in two tight sets. The pain on Serena's face was plain to see, and she is sure to do everything in her power to avoid feeling that way again on Saturday.

After five brutally efficient wins apiece, the sisters' respective semifinal victories could hardly have been more different.

According to Tour records, Venus' 61 60 win over Dinara Safina was the most lopsided win ever over a reigning world No.1, in terms of games lost. Indeed, the 51 minute victory took just one minute longer than the first set of Serena's three-set, 2 hour and 49 minute semifinal win over Elena Dementieva. But not for a second does that mean Serena wasn't hugely impressive as well. Sure, she had to save a match point and later complained her forehand had "gone on vacation to Hawaii", but she also served 20 aces - the most by any woman in a single match since IBM started tracking aces at Wimbledon in 2004, and a scary statistic given Dementieva is one of the best returners in the sport.

Although their rivalry is tantalizingly poised at 10-10, each sister is chasing her own piece of history.

Having now won 36 sets in a row at the All England Club, Venus is trying to become the first player since Steffi Graf (1991-93) to win three-straight Wimbledon titles - while leveling her Wimbledon final head-to-head with Serena at 2-2. For her part, Serena, who beat Venus for the title in both 2002 and 2003, is trying to become the second player in the Open Era to rally from match point down to eventually lift the Venus Rosewater Dish. The first was none other than Venus, in the 2005 final against Lindsay Davenport. (Serena herself has already achieved the trick twice, in the Australian Open semis in 2003 and 2004.)

'Who dares, wins', or so the saying goes. The whole point about Venus and Serena is that they both dare, especially on grass, the surface that rewards courage and conviction most. It probably won't feel like it during the presentation ceremony, but even the runner-up will know, deep down, that she was also the winner.

Serena says: "You know, it doesn't get weird. The more we play, the better it gets. When we play our match on Saturday, it's for everything. This is what we dreamed of when we were growing up in Compton 20 something years ago. This is what we worked for, and this is what we want. It's all come down to this."

Venus says: "I'm happy for her to be in the final, but I have to face her and defeat her. I don't necessarily want her to lose, but for sure I want me to win. I don't like to ever see her disappointed in any way. But at the same time, I don't want to see myself disappointed. You know, I need to get my titles, too.