After tripping up the teenage phenomenon of women's tennis, Venus Williams [Images] will attempt to elbow aside its elder stateswoman in Saturday's all-American women's singles final at Wimbledon.

At 29, top seed Lindsay Davenport [Images] is 11 years older than Maria Sharapova [Images], the Russian defending champion so brutally unpieced by 14th seed Venus in the semi-finals.

That extra experience should provide Venus with a far more difficult challenge as the 25-year-old seeks to repeat her 2000 Wimbledon final win against Davenport and lift her first Grand Slam crown since winning the U.S. Open the following year.

Davenport, despite having returned to the number one ranking, is also seeking to end something of a Grand Slam drought in what promises to be a bruising encounter on Centre Court.

The Californian, who beat French third seed Amelie Mauresmo in a three-set semi-final spread over two days, has not won a Slam since the 2000 Australian Open, the year after she won her only Wimbledon title.

"This is what we play for -- to try to win the Grand Slams," said Davenport, who reached final of this year's Australian Open final before losing to Venus's younger sister Serena.

"I've done a great job of competing at the Grand Slams the last year, I just haven't won any of them.

"I've come through a very tough draw here playing a lot of good players. To be in the final is pretty exhilarating."

"I know this is a great opportunity. I haven't been in a final in a number of years here at Wimbledon. I'm just excited about it."

Twelve months ago the chance of Davenport and Venus meeting in this year's final at the All England [Images] Club seemed remote.

Davenport appeared to be considering retirement having lost to Sharapova in the semi-finals. Confounding expectations, she enjoyed a such a good second half to 2004 that she finished the year back at her current ranking of number one.

RARE OPPORTUNITY

For her part Venus lost in the second round to unseeded Croatian Karolina Sprem at last year's Wimbledon and appeared to be in long-term decline.

Bereft of focus, fitness and form, she was a far cry from the world number one who had won four Grand Slam titles in 2000 and 2001, including two Wimbledon crowns.

Now Venus, who looked like a player reborn against Sharapova, feels her time has come again.

"I've been working hard. Hard work pays off," she said. "It's satisfying. I'm pretty much in the moment right now.

"Most of all I feel like I deserve to be where I am. I want to be the best at what I do. I feel like I have a rare opportunity in my life, at this moment in time to be the best in women's tennis.

"I feel like I have to take those opportunities and I feel like I have to live my life with no regrets."

She has plenty of reason to be optimistic, despite trailing 14-12 in her head-to-head with Davenport and having lost their last four encounters.

Venus beat Davenport 6-3, 7-6 in the 2000 Wimbledon final and won both their other Wimbledon clashes -- in the 2001 semi-finals and the 2003 quarter-finals.

She also beat Davenport in 2000 U.S. Open final, the only other Grand Slam final they have previously contested.

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