Out of shape and not having won a tournament for two years, few would have predicted that come July 5 2008 she would be competing with sister Venus for the Wimbledon title.

The two women have rolled back the clock to the time when many were wondering if their dominance was ruining the sport and around SW19 there is undoubtedly a sense of anti-climax to this year's final.

Serena's route back to the top started on the west coast of Africa on Senegal's Goree Island.

Relaxing there, she pondered how this former trading place from which slaves were shipped to America and elsewhere.

"It was just mind boggling to think what my ancestors went through," she said after visiting Senegal's House of Slaves.

"That just changed me. It gave me strength and courage and it let me know that I can endure anything."

That was in the latter stages of 2006 and she readily admits that apart from injuries she was also dealing with the mental scars of the drive-by-shooting of her sister Yetunde in 2003.

Added to that some believed that the sisters had started to focus too heavily on their outside interests, which for Serena has meant cameos on ER and Law and Order.

Dad Richard, who flew home to Florida yesterday, totally refutes such a stance and argues that it is such diversification which has helped propel them back to the top of the game.

"They are not going to be people who started playing at four and then at 94 they still only want to play tennis.

"They have other interests and businesses and that's a good thing," says Richard who says he had a plan before they were even born that they would be tennis stars.

Serena not only got herself together for the year 2007 but immediately jumped from a ranking of 81 back into the top ten when shocking the tennis world by claiming the Australian Open title with a devastating demolition of Maria Sharapova.

Now she steps up to try and claim a third Wimbledon title with Venus standing in her way and looking for her fifth.

They have clashed 15 times throughout their careers, two of which saw Serena triumph at SW19 and she holds an 8-7 advantage.

No matter how hard they try it is impossible to generate the edge and intensity seen when facing someone else from the top ten and this week they have been forced to deny suggestions of an arranged result.

Any such claims ring a little hollow even if it is probably going to be a rather muted affair this afternoon.

Asked if she felt there would be any difference to when they last battled for the Venus Rosebowl, Serena said: "I think that the opponent hasn't got any easier, that's for sure.

"We're going in there playing for me the best player - so it's gonna be a tough match.

"I won my first Grand Slam almost ten years ago and Venus very soon after that.

"So this is like we're just going for history now, trying to make the history books that we definitely want to be part of and stamp our name in those pages."

Defending champion Venus added: "We haven't reached this achievement in a few years now. This is what we're always aiming for and it's great that it happened."

Whatever happens today, they will both probably enjoy a Wimbledon triumph as they are through to the women's doubles final having defeated Nathalie Dechy and Casey Dellacqua 6-3, 6-3 in yesterday's semi-final.