Simona Halep has not lost the first set in any of her French Open matches this year. In fact, she has not lost any sets at the French Open this year.
Maria Sharapova unwittingly insults Andy Murray's mother?
Maria Sharapova has.
So does that mean Halep need win only one of the last two sets Saturday to win her first Grand Slam title?
The two meet for the championship at Roland Garros, with everyone assuming that the No. 7-seeded Sharapova's experience and recent record on clay (53-4 since the start of 2012, according to tennis.si.com) will allow her to cruise to the title.
But ever since Sharapova's 6-0, 6-0 dismantling of Paula Ormaechea in the third round, she has proceeded to lose the first set against her next three opponents before she found the range and turned the tables on her opponents.
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No. 4 Halep has been the more consistent player at Roland Garros. She has not dropped a set, and her semifinal win over No. 28 Andrea Petkovic provided the blueprint of her play during the tournament.
She was the much steadier player early on and won the first set easily, 6-2. During the second set, Petkovic picked up her play and had moments of impressive points won. She even went up an early break but gave it back during a game in which she led 40-15 only to double-fault and let Halep back in the game.
So while Halep has to battle nerves in the first set of her first Grand Slam final, Sharapova has to battle her sluggish starts. Halep took advantage of Sharapova's lethargic starts during their last match - the Madrid Open final in early May - by winning the first set.
But as Sharapova has done in Paris, she found her game in the second set at Madrid and won 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
If Sharapova wins the first set, Halep will be hard-pressed to fight back and win the next two in her first major. But if Halep wins the first set, the pressure reverts to Sharapova.
"I don't think (Halep) should be a big underdog," Eugenie Bouchard's coach, American Nick Saviano, told USA TODAY Sports. "That's a big mistake. I think she's the player to beat even though it's her first Grand Slam final."
The 6-foot-2 Sharapova wore down Bouchard with her power and will have a power advantage of the 5-foot-6 Halep. But the longer Halep can keep up her steady play in the second set - if she wins the first - the more pressure will be on Sharapova.
If the match goes three sets, then Sharapova certainly owns the advantage. But Halep may not let it go to three sets and could hoist her first Grand Slam trophy.
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