Wimbledon 2013: Ladies final preview - Sabine Lisicki vs Marion Bartoli

“One love, one heart, one destiny.” ? Bob Marley

It’s been the fabled tale of two marvellous women this fortnight who, through their steely resolve, unwavering will and above all, ardent love for the game, have given themselves a chance to be a part of history.

Before the first Monday of Wimbledon, if anybody had suggested either of their names as one of the finalists on the prestigious second Saturday of The Championships then that person would have been scoffed at, or regarded as a lunatic! But here they are after making the impossible possible standing so close to their own destinies. What will their future unravel? We look at the possibility.

Sabine Lisicki and Marion Bartoli meet each other in the final

Sabine Lisicki (23) v Marion Bartoli (15) (Head-to-head: Lisicki leads 3-1, tied 1-1 on grass)

‘’It’s been a great journey and hasn’t finished yet’’, Sabine Lisicki underlines with a lot of emphasis in her pre-match press conference.

The 23-year-old German knows that in spite of having some of the most remarkable victories, it is this all-important match that counts! If many had expected her to take her foot off the pedal after her resounding triumph over the seemingly impervious Serena Williams, she had come back hard at them. She has kept on pushing herself to the limits, and that’s what has rewarded her with her first appearance in a Grand Slam final.

Perhaps it’s her supreme affection for the world’s most elite tennis tournament that spurs her on. The crowd adores her vivaciousness, her radiant smile, and the fact that she never stops beaming during her matches. The girl with the sunny disposition too loves them back.

But it didn’t start off like this. Lisicki had an allergy for grass which affected her when she came to SW19 in 2008. Since then, with the use of medication, she has learnt to overcome her adversity and has exuded her charm on the courts. She has the ‘Howitzer’ serve, the booming forehands, the lightning speed and the disguise with her frequent use of the dropshot-lob combination.

And that’s what has aided her in scripting a memorable journey at Wimbledon ever since she stepped on the verdant lawns in 2009. Two quarter-finals, one semi-final and now a final, and her prized scalps include Svetlana Kuznetsova, Caroline Wozniacki, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska and also the opponent she would face in the final – Marion Bartoli.

Yes, the quirky Frenchwoman may have lost their last encounter at Wimbledon in three sets, but that doesn’t suppress the determination that she has got. She has got experience of a Wimbledon final and hence burgeoning self-confidence.

If Lisicki’s sparkling resume shows her illustrious scalps, then she too has Justine Henin and Serena Williams amongst her victims on these courts. The French No. 1 famously signalled her presence by engulfing the Belgian No. 1 in a stunning three-set triumph in 2007, which paved her way to her first major final.

Even though she was trounced by the far superior Venus Williams in the summit clash, Bartoli has said she feels fresher this time and surely knows what it is like to go out there on Centre Court and fight tooth and nail for a piece of everlasting glory. She clearly signals her intentions when she says, “I just want to win the match tomorrow (Saturday) and just be ready for the fight again.”

The 28-year-old Frenchwoman certainly knows the importance of fighting – fighting off the numerous criticisms that come her way, fighting off people’s doubts.

She has those innumerable jumps and hops as part of her on-court match routine and the shadow boxing that she displays which perhaps peeves the spectators; but there’s no denying that she does posses one of the flattest and cleanest strokes in the game. The girl with an unusually high IQ has an unconventional style, but her Monica Seles-esque two-handers off both flanks do produce some spectacular results when she is on fire.

Bartoli gave a reminder to people of the best she can be in her semi-final match against Kirsten Flipkens. Even when she is locked in a tough battle, she knows perfectly when to take her chances like she did against Sloane Stephens. And that only confirms the peace and calmness of her mind after struggling to find stability with her coaches this year.

Renouncing her long-time coach – her father – from his duties, she joined forces with former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna and then again paired up with her father, but is now being helped by Amelie Mauresmo and Bernard Tomic’s erstwhile hitting partner – Thomas Drouet – at Wimbledon.

France’s Marion Bartoli (R) throws tennis balls with a trainer during a training session on day eleven of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 5, 2013, ahead of the women’s singles final match on July 6

And that similarity has been exhibited by the German girl too, who the press is fondly calling ‘Doris Becker’.

She is moving better and, most importantly, has been able to find a way through her lapses after hiring Kim Clijsters’s former coach Wim Fissette. In spite of having a flamboyant game, inconsistency has been a big hindrance in her path to success. But Lisicki has found positive vibes this Wimbledon, and has shown that she can surge back even from 0-3 deficit in the final set like she did against Serena Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska.

Besides hitting those brilliant off-forehands and thundering passes, the German has also done something consistently – exquisite volleying and using dropshots impeccably.

Two years ago, when Lisicki met Bartoli in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, that is how she exploited Marion’s relatively lethargic footwork. She had used her serve out wide effectively to put Marion out of the court and put balls beyond her reach magnificently. Marion does take the ball on the rise and is a fantastic returner. If Lisicki doesn’t serve as smoothly as she has been doing for the better part of the tournament and if she gets into one of her unavoidable lapses, then it will spell trouble.

Both have been playing with a lot of heart and courage throughout, but it is Lisicki’s big-match experience that might hold her in good stead for the final and give her a slight edge. That Bartoli hasn’t faced any of the top 15 seeds so far and Lisicki has scalped three top 15 seeds en route to the final might just play a part when push comes to shove.

Lisicki has the relentless support of the great Steffi Graf and Boris Becker. That just might inspire her to achieve colossal heights in her first ever major final. Besides, the last time Marion Bartoli reached the Wimbledon final she had faced a 23rd-seeded Venus Williams. Sabine too is eerily seeded 23rd. Is that an omen?

Prediction: Lisicki wins in three sets.