The WTA Tour Championships is thrilled with Serena Williams. The tournament, which marks the last event of the year on the women’s tennis circuit, focused on Williams and the Russian beauty Maria Sharapova in its ad campaign for the event, to take advantage of the budding rivalry between the two. And Serena delivered yesterday, defeating France’s Amelie Mauresmo to set up a showdown rematch with Sharapova in tonight’s final at the Staples Center in L.A.

Williams—shown here supporting the fight against breast cancer in a Ford ad—is out for revenge, having lost to Sharapova in the Wimbledon final earlier this year. Asked about the butt-kicking she received at Wimbledon, Williams was coy. “I don’t believe I played Wimbledon,” she said. “I don’t know who it was. But I wasn’t at Wimbledon this year.”

Sharapova shot back: “In reality, there was [a final]. She might not have been in reality.”

Yesterday, Williams also gave a nod to the “I Love NY” ad campaign, showing up for her match with Mauresmo in a T-shirt that read, “I love me.” She explained to reporters: “I love everything about me. I love my legs, my arms, my lips. I love my eyes.”

Wow. Well, hopefully she’ll still love herself after tonight’s game.

--Posted by Tim Nudd