Jul 1, 2005, 16:01 GMT
London - Lindsay Davenport will have few memories to dredge up of the Wimbledon Championships final she lost to Venus Williams five years ago when she faces her fellow American Saturday in a second title try.
But with a 14-12 series record over the resurgent Williams, California's top seed Davenport should find it easy to maintain the calm which has taken her past expectations in a bid for a fourth career Grand Slam.
A year ago, the 29-year-old was pondering retirement - now she's one win away from more trophy glory as she hopes to back up her long- ago 1999 Wimbledon title.
There's nothing about the Williams game she hasn't seen already. "I obviously know how she plays, I don't think she's doing anything different than what she normally does in a match," said Davenport, who had to come back on Friday to finish two games for a win over Amelie Mauresmo after rain interrupted the day before.
Davenport admits she won't be looking to the past for inspiration with five and a half years between the Saturday final and her last major title at the Australian Open 2000.
"I don't really remember much, I remember getting to the finals and playing pretty bad the beginning of the tournament, doing a great job about getting to the finals.
"I remember losing, that was about it," she said of the first of two straight Wimbledon titles for Williams, who will be making her fifth appearance in the title match at the All England club after putting out holder Maria Sharapova.
The success for the 14th-seeded Williams came out of nowhere in Davenport's mind, with her former rival battling with injury and poor form over the past few seasons.
"She's definitely been struggling, a lot of people have been not the most positive about her game," said Davenport. "She's come back here and she feels comfortable on grass."
Davenport has won her last four against Williams dating to last summer. "I've played her by far more than anyone I've ever played on tour.
"We've both like gone through so many transitions from around 1997 when we probably first played, up until now.
"In the beginning, I was always winning, then she was always winning. The last few times it's been me. We've played a lot of tough matches over the years."
Williams, 25, is out to knock the doubters who believe the Williams sister dynasty has run its course. Either Venus or Serena has figured in every Wimbledon final since 2000.
Williams believes she is merely back where she should be in her game as she competes in her first final since losing to Serena here in 2003.
"I feel like I deserve to be where I am. For me there were never any doubts. In that way it's not a surprise.
"For me it's just very natural."
Williams also said she could remember little of beating Davenport for the trophy in 2000, adding that she hoped to repeat the sensation of victory.
"Playing her is very similar to playing me. I'm probably going to get to a few more balls. I have a bigger serve and that kind of thing."
The Florida player is loathe to admit that she ever "went away" in the sport, despite a run of injuries including an abdominal strain which may or may not be completely in the past.
"I've been working hard, hard work pays off," she said. "I just played one round at a time, whoever I was playing, and I didn't worry about what was happening next, just what was happening in the moment."
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