How Utterly Predictable Is This Australian?

Maybe the end will be more interesting, but my heart sank when I read the winners of the women's semi-finals matches at the 2009 Australian Open--Safina vs. Serena Williams? What could be more utterly predictable?
The truth is that I'm tired of pulling for Elena Dementieva. She's so talented. She seems so nice. She is such a choker at Grand Slams and such an incredible underachiever.
And the truth is too that there's a reason I didn't watch her match against Serena beyond the first few points. I wasn't just tired either! I honestly felt like I could tell who would win and who would lose just by their expressions.
There was Serena, missing some shots, but looking so calm, so composed. And relaxed. A Grand Slam semi-final? No big deal if your Serena Williams. Just another day at the office.
And there was Dementieva, looking freaked out, bug-eyed, overwrought on every single point in the first game. One of Dementieva's greatest strengths is she's such a fighter. But it can work against her too. I think when it comes to Grand Slams she may want one too much, so much that she may never realize her potential and win at least one. I keep hoping maybe she'll be a late bloomer like Jana Novotna. And Martina Navratilova didn't start winning Grand Slam after Grand Slam till the middle part of her career. But Dementieva is 27 and finishing her 41st straight Grand Slam--a phenomenal achievement on its own to go along with her many others, like her Olympic gold medal from the most recent Olympics and silver from a few years back.
I felt like this Grand Slam though, so close on the heels of her Olympic gold, was a great chance for Dementieva to win her first singles Grand Slam--perhaps her best chance ever. Serena is far from looking like she's in her top form yet and Dementieva's beaten her the last three times they've played. Still, before the match, Serena was my pick. In her post-match commentary, Serena noted that she just had to keep calm and cool. So much is said about the athleticism about Serena. But she's hardly in top shape now. How is she still winning? She doesn't just gut out the victories. Serena is probably the most underrated strategists on the tennis court in the sports' history.
Dementieva's been written off before. Just consider how little was said about her chances between her getting to two Grand Slam finals in 2004 and her winning Olympic gold. She still may turn into a late bloomer at Grand Slams. But not at this year's Australian.
It's an odd (-numbered) year, where three-time Australian singles champ (winner in '03, '05 and '07) Serena tends to pick up singles titles. Any guesses for who my pick is in the finals? And yet, the real surprise of the tournament and the year might turn out to be--however implausible it now may seem--that it is Dinara Safina, not Elena Dementieva, who winds up the late bloomer on the women's tour.
But with Serena on the other side of the net, that would be a big surprise, which this tourney has been--aside from Jelena Dokic's run to the quarters (Jelena Jankovic choking in a Grand Slam again doesn't count)--sorely lacking. The courts at the Australian, like the ones at the U.S. Open, seem like they were custom-made for Serena Williams.
Venus may own Wimbledon, but down under with its blue skies and temperature hot as Serena's temper is baby sister's. Consider this an early "letter" for Serena should she reach double-digits in Grand Slam singles wins at this year's Australian Open and enter, as she put it, the "special letter club"!
Don't let Serena's valley girl side fool you though. This career Grand Slam winner, the only active one still in the game, is thinking as much as playing through to these championships--singles and doubles.