In previous Grand Slam finals she has been too tired. This time she feels a little underdone, but all in all Kim Clijsters is looking forward to finally landing a big one.
She has coped admirably with a niggling ankle injury and on Thursday the gritty Belgian reached the Australian Open final -- her fourth in a Grand Slam -- with victory over unfancied Swiss Patty Schnyder.
Having lost the previous three -- against Jennifer Capriati in the French Open in 2001 and twice against compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne in Paris and New York last year -- Clijsters is eager to break the jinx.
The semi-final win over Schnyder gives her that chance, and will also offer her a chance of revenge against Henin-Hardenne, her opponent on Saturday.
Clijsters is determined to take that chance, having ditched doubles to help her achieve it.
"In the two previous Grand Slams I probably would have liked to have played a little bit less before I got to the final -- with all the doubles and everything, I was a little bit exhausted at the end," she said after her 6-2, 7-6 win over Schnyder.
"I was playing so many matches... and at the French I was playing a lot of doubles and, you know, at the U.S. Open as well. I think it was too much.
"I was just exhausted at the end of the tournament. That's something that I've learned. I've really enjoyed playing my doubles and getting to number one, that was very special for me and for (partner) Ai (Sugiyama) as well. So I've been very happy with what I did last year.
"But I think I've done that now. And this year I think I've become a little bit smarter in a way as well and you learn things every year."
Having realised her workload had caused her to suffer in previous Grand Slams, Clijsters has slashed it.
She dismisses suggestions that Henin-Hardenne may have a psychological edge over her.
"That's always something that they're gonna keep saying, if you lose against her," the 20-year-old said.
"I definitely don't think so -- in those matches I knew where the problem was... and I knew that it wasn't psychological."
Whether the problem was physical or psychological only Clijsters knows for sure. Whether or not she has solved that problem will be evident on Saturday.
