World number two Maria Sharapova has insisted that records and past meetings do not count when she faces top seed Serena Williams in Saturday's French Open final.
Williams has won the last 12 meetings with her Russian opponent, a winning streak that goes back nine years.
Sharapova said, however, that everything will start from scratch on the day as she looks to defy the odds to win her fifth Grand Slam title.
"If I was thinking about [the losing run], that wouldn't be a great mindset to go into the match," Sky Sports News quotes Sharapova as saying. "Despite that record and despite me being unsuccessful against her, I'm happy to be setting up chances to be going out and facing her, someone that's been playing and dominating tennis for almost a year now.
"Her success has been incredible, but going into a French Open final, that doesn't matter. It all starts from zero. You've got to play until the last point and believe in yourself.
"No matter how good she's playing, you also have to give yourself a bit of credit for getting to that point and doing a few things right to be at that stage and giving yourself an opportunity. Whether you take it, that's another story."
Sharapova beat Victoria Azarenka to reach the final.
Matt Domm
