The 2014 Australian Open Ladies Singles final will be contested between Li Na of China and Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.

          VS          

Li Na                                                           Dominika Cibulkova

Li Na (31) is ranked 4th and Cibulkova (24) is ranked 20th for this tournament.

Li Na turned pro in 1999 and Cibulkova in 2004.

They have played each other four times since 2008, with Li Na being victorious each time.

This will be Li Na’s third attempt at winning this title.  She lost in 2011 to Kim Clijsters and in 2013 to Victoria Azarenka.

Cibulkova is the first Slovakian to reach a Grand Slam final.

Li Na won the French Open in 2011 as well as four gold medals.

Cibulkova reached the semi-finals of the French Open in 2009.

Li Na will go into this final as the favourite, but if Cibulkova continues her fine form, the Chinese player is going to be in for a fight.  Nerves could play a big role for both ladies, as Li Na sometimes shows when trying to close out a match whereas Cibulkova will be feeling the pressure of the big day.

Irrespective of the outcome there will be a new Ladies champion on Saturday.

Images courtesy of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament.