Maria Sharapova said earlier this week that her father believes in her abilities so much, he thinks she can beat Rafael Nadal on clay.

Today, the Russian challenges the female equivalent in the world No.1 Serena Williams, who is on a 30-match winning run as she chases her 16th grand slam title.

Since beating Williams to win the Wimbledon title in 2004, Sharapova has lost 12 successive matches to the American, including the Madrid tournament on clay last month.

A year after winning the title here to complete the full set of grand slam championships, the world No.2 is hunting her fifth slam title. The evidence may be overwhelmingly in Williams' favour but the ever-professional and ever-gutsy Sharapova knows anything can happen.

"Despite that record and despite me being unsuccessful against her, I'm happy to be setting up chances to be going out and facing her, someone that's been playing and dominating tennis for almost a year now," Sharapova said yesterday.

"Her success has been incredible. But going into a French Open final, that doesn't matter. It all starts from zero. You've got to play until the last point and believe in yourself."

Sharapova believes she has played well, at times, against Williams in those 12 matches but never quite been able to sustain the level required.

"Like in Miami [where she led by a set and a break before losing in three sets], against her you have to be able to do that for a longer period of time. That set and a half wasn't enough," she said.

"A letdown here or there is enough to let her back in the match, and that's what she did there."

If Sharapova has hope, it comes in the fact that Williams has not won at Roland Garros since 2002 and may yet be stressed as she chases a second French Open crown.

Yesterday, she was keeping her head down, in her own bubble, claiming, rather implausibly, that her record against Sharapova would not have any impact on the outcome of the final.

"It's a different time, a different era, just a different match," she said. "It's a brand new match, so I definitely don't take it [for granted]. We have played a lot. I've just got to do the best I can."

It was here 12 months ago that Williams was beaten in the first round, since when she has won Wimbledon, the Olympics, the US Open and the season-ending WTA Championships.

"I have never played Maria here," she said. "We both are doing so well and we both just really want to win. I think it's just going to be a great match."