In just a few hours, Sam Stosur takes on world No.1 Serena Williams in a French Open quarter final. What a confidence boost for Sam going into this match, having just taken out the four-time champion Justine Henin. It wasn't just the win itself which was impressive, it was the assertive manner in which she did it.

Sam's forehand, taking an analogy from the men's game, was ‘Nadalesque'. It was viciously top-spun and reliable, at the same time being nasty and unpredictable to Justine. This one weapon, not Sam's serve but her forehand, dictated the course of the match. Even Justine's peerless backhand seemed under pressure.

Serena will be different - different person, different game and, perhaps importantly, a different level of public support. Having cheered so strongly for Justine, a Belgian, the French-speaking crowd may well swing into Sam's corner. They were not happy that Sam was spoiling the Justine fairytale, but will rally to her cause as the respected giant-killer who goes in as the underdog.

Serena and Justine present quite different challenges for Sam. With Justine, it was the all-court claycourt skills which Sam managed to overpower on the day. With Serena, she certainly matches Sam for raw power and has the only serve in women's tennis which is the equal of Sam's. So I believe it will be a battle of serves and, as always against Serena, a battle of wills.

There'll be a bit of gladiatorial engagement, I believe in this match, with potentially a testy moment or two. The winner will play Jancovic or Shvedova in the semnis and would be the favourite in either of those matches. Then the final would be against Dementieva or Schiavone.

So the stakes are high at about 10pm (AEST) tonight as maybe, just maybe, our Sam might be looking at something no Australian woman has done since Evonne Goolagong lifted the Grand Slam singles trophy at Wimbledon in 1980 (providing incentive for your truly and Peter McNamara to win the men's doubles the next day.) So tonight is pretty special.

As was last night, when Robin Soderling delivered on the form - and the result! - described in this column last Friday and broke Roger Federer's historic and never-to-be-repeated sequence of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals.

As commentators, you can often be wrong, so it's nice to get one right. The Swede may well go all the way now.