2015 Aussie Open: Finals

The finals are now set in the first major of 2015, featuring both no. 1 players, who have combined to win the event 9 times.  Their challengers are also no stranger to this stage, having combined to win 7 major titles but only 1 Australian Open.

Men

1) Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs 6) Andy Murray (GBR)

Djokovic: 15th major final (5th at the AO), 7-7 record (4-0), last '14 Wimbledon
Murray: 8th major final (4th at the AO), 2-5 record (0-2), last '13 Wimbledon

Djokovic has beaten q-Bedene, An.Kuznetsov, 31-Verdasco, Muller, 8-Raonic, and 4-Wawrinka to reach the final, dropping 2 sets (both against Wawrinka).
Murray has beaten q-Bhambri, Matosevic, Sousa, 10-Dimitrov, Kyrgios, and 7-Berdych to reach the final while also dropping 2 sets (Dimitrov and Berdych).

Djokovic leads the head-to-head 15-8 including a 13-6 advantage on hard courts.  They have met in the Australian Open 3 times, Djokovic winning each time, the '11 final in straight sets, the '12 SF which was a battle 7-5 in the 5th, and the '13 final in 4 sets.  Murray hasn't beaten Djokovic on hard courts since the '12 US Open final.  This will be their 5th meeting in a major final with each player winning two.

I have to go with Djokovic in this one.  He loves Australia and has won 4 of his 7 majors there.  Djokovic survived the big test in Wawrinka and while Murray beat Berdych and Dimitrov he was able to avoid Federer and Nadal.  I really am surprised to see Murray in this final, but he has played well but I think Djokovic will be too much, especially given the recent head-to-head.  I'll take Djokovic in 4 sets.

Women

1) Serena Williams (USA) vs 2) Maria Sharapova (RUS)

Serena: 23rd major final (6th at the AO), 18-4 record (5-0), 2nd consecutive F
Sharapova: 10th major final (4th at the AO), 5-4 record (1-2), last '14 French Open

Serena has beaten van Uytvanck, Zvonareva, 26-Svitolina, 24-Muguruza, 11-Cibulkova, and Keys to reach the final, dropping 2 sets (Svitolina and Muguruza) while serving 3 bagels.
Sharapova has beaten q-Martic, q-Panova, 31-Diyas, 21-Peng, 7-Bouchard, and 10-Makarova to reach the final, losing just the one set to Panova in the process.

As we know, the head-to-head is ugly, 16-2 to Serena, including a 10-1 advantage on hard courts.  Since Sharapova's surgery, the record is 11-0 Serena with the loss of just one set ('13 Miami).  They have met 3 times in major finals, Sharapova's stunning win as a 17-yr-old at '04 Wimbledon, and 2 Serena wins at '07 Aussie Open and '13 French Open (only loss by Sharapova at that tournament in 3 years).

I expect this match to be no different than the others since '04.  Until she proves me wrong, Sharapova cannot beat Serena.  Serena doesn't lose often deep in tournaments, and she is in fairly good form.  While Sharapova is also in good form, she can't seem to get over the hump against Serena.  I'll the American in straight sets, as usual.