Australian Open TV Schedule: Signs Point to a Maria Sharapova Win in the Finals

The No. 1 ranking in the world is on the line this Saturday, and it's hard to conceive a situation where Maria Sharapova doesn't beat Victoria Azarenka.

Sharapova will be playing in her sixth career Grand Slam at Melbourne Park and will be facing an opponent that has a grand total of zero Finals appearances under her belt.

Sharapova has rediscovered her deadly forehand, and it has allowed her to play some of the best tennis we've seen from her since 2008. She is finally healthy and playing lights-out.

I'd dare say she is looking as confident on the court now as she did during her 2011 French Open Championship run.

Sharapova enters the final with a boatload of confidence, which can be everything in a Grand Slam final.

The strength of Azarenka is in her conditioning. She worked vigorously to enter the Australian Open in top shape, and it's shown. The No. 2-ranked player in the world has run circles around the competition and enters the final ready for a marathon.

Both women have dropped a mere two sets, and they each hold three wins over the other. Both players complement each other rather well. If Azarenka wins, she now becomes the new "it" girl of tennis; a loss, and she fades to the second tier of tennis stars, where she currently resides.

The big difference is experience, and when it comes to Grand Slam Finals, more often than not the player who has the championship pedigree wins out.

Will Sharapova win in straight sets? Doubtful.

But will she make the crucial backhanded shots when the pressure has mounted in the third and final set?

Game. Set. Sharapova.

Women’s Final TV Schedule:

Catch all the action live on ESPN Saturday from 3-5:30 a.m. EST; it will be repeated from 9-11 a.m. and 10-12 p.m.

Find a complete women's side bracket here.