MARIA SHARAPOVA VS SIMONA HALEP. FRENCH OPEN FINAL 2014

PARIS, 6 MAY 2014.
 And as an appetizer, here are 5 Things To Know about Sharapova Vs Halep... 

1.  Sharapova did something she had never done before in the semifinals. After getting outplayed in the first set, Maria Sharapova clawed back to beat Eugenie Bouchard in the first semifinal, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. You would think someone with such a full career wouldn't have any new things to achieve, but she's found another one - this is the first time Sharapova has ever come back from a set down to win in three straight matches at a tournament. Read more about the match here. 

2. Halep has done something that hasn't been done in more than 17 years. Simona Halep held off Andrea Petkovic to win the second semifinal, 6-2, 7-6(4), and move through to her first Grand Slam final. She hasn't lost a set all tournament - in fact she is the first player since Martina Hingis at the 1997 Australian Open to reach her first Grand Slam final without dropping a set (and Hingis went on to win that final in straight sets). Read more about the match here. 

 3. Sharapova is back up to No.6 now, and No.5 if she wins the title. Sharapova, who is currently No.8, will rise to No.6 as a runner-up and No.5 as the champion. If that still sounds a little low, don't worry - she has only one match win to defend the rest of the year (last year from this point she lost in the French Open final, fell second round at Wimbledon and lost her opening match in Cincy - and then didn't play the entire rest of the year because of a shoulder injury). 

 4. Halep will be No.3 now, win or lose. In March, Halep became the highest-ranked Romanian in WTA history when she rose from No.7 to No.5 after Indian Wells (separating herself from previous record-holder Irina Spirlea). She moved to No.4 after Rome and now she's going to raise her to No.3. She was No.57 a year ago. 

 5. Whoever wins Saturday's final will be No.1 on the Road To Singapore leaderboard. If Sharapova wins the final, she will be No.1 and Halep No.3 - if Halep wins the final, she will be No.1 and Sharapova No.2. Either way, these two will take a big step closer to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, where the best of the best compete for year-end glory...