ESPN Peter Bodo Blog

WIMBLEDON, England -- Only one Wimbledon final in this nearly gone decade has failed to feature at least one Williams sister, and this year it again has both. The Planetary One and the Anything-but-Serene One have a 10-10 career head-to-head record, but Serena leads their Wimbledon rivalry 2-1 and their Grand Slam rivalry 5-2. It is the most prolific Grand Slam rivalry since Chris Evert versus Martina Navratilova, who met in 14 major finals with Navratilova ending up on top, 10-4.

So you give Serena the nod tomorrow, right? Well, that's where things get complicated because Venus has the family Wimbledon mojo. She's third on the Open era list as a Wimbledon bagger (five titles), just two behind Steffi Graf. The statistics say this is a wash, so let's look at some of the more subtle pluses and minuses each woman brings to the field of play:

Serena pluses: She's been on a mission here, as her "revenge" win over Victoria Azarenka (who beat Serena the last time they met) demonstrated. In a broader way, I think she's eyeballing this title with classic kid-sister avarice: Hey, how come Venus gets all the Wimbledons?

Also, the younger of the sisters is coming off a "Serena Moment" after having won the longest women's semifinal in the Wimbledon records. She gave all the credit for her win to her serve, and justly so. So count that serve as a huge plus. I also give her the edge when it comes to ballstriking: Nobody, not even Venus, can match her for pulling the stone-cold winner out of a hat, even in desperate straits.

Serena minuses: Let's remember that although Elena Dementieva played a great semifinal, the match took a lot out of Serena's legs, and perhaps even her emotions. There's also that forehand, which, Serena joked, had gone on vacation in Hawaii in the semis. If she doesn't find that stroke, she could be in trouble. And lastly, as fast and strong as she is, she isn't as rangy or nimble as Venus.

Venus pluses: She practically owns the place, and she plays and acts like it. While Serena labored mightily to quell the Dementieva threat, Venus laid the most severe whipping on world No. 1 Dinara Safina that any player has inflicted on a top-ranked woman. Her confidence is sky-high. And it isn't just because of that startling beatdown, either. Venus hasn't even had to play a third set here since the third round in -- get this -- 2007. I also prefer Venus' athleticism on this surface; those long legs eat up turf fast, but she's lithe and quick enough to adapt better than any other player to the odd bounce or the uncomfortable shot produced by any opponent.

Venus minuses: Her groundstrokes are less grooved than Serena's, especially on the forehand side. That means that if she's put under pressure, especially if she's not totally on top of her technique, her forehand can be exploited. The way she has dominated here also means that she's not accustomed to the stresses and strains, physically or mentally, of a three-set war. And lastly, there's BSG, or Big-Sister Guilt. Venus is going to have to police her subconscious mind (if you can do such a thing) to avoid yielding to a very determined kid sister who wants a little of what she's got.

My pick: With the sisters increasingly at peace with having to play big finals against each other, Venus will resist the naggings of her little sister and continue adding to her brilliant Wimbledon record.