Vera Zvonareva only turned up at the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships as an alternate in place of the injured Maria Sharapova but today she bids for a winner’s cheque worth $US1.34 million against Wimbledon champion Venus Williams.

Tennis success revolves around capitalising upon chances presented and the 24 year-old Zvonareva has done just that, registering four successive victories in the space of five days to prove herself the consummate opportunist.

The world no.9 had only beaten her compatriot Elena Dementieva once in five previous meetings, the most recent in the Olympic Games semi-final little more than two months ago. But Zvonavera, who habitually shrouds her head in a towel at each changeover during the course of the match, was ultimately more forceful physically and mentally much more calm as he won 7-6,3-6,6-3.

Regardless of reaching the final of the regular Doha tour event played in February, where she ironically lost to Sharapova, Zvonareva insisted: “I didn't have any expectations. Normally I tend to play ugly tennis for the first couple of rounds of a tournament but here I knew I had to start to play good every single match, because if I didn’t there is no chance.”

Self belief has not always been the strong suit of Zvonareva. More than once she has succumbed to tears while actually on court and she seemed to lack the mental strength necessary to really make her mark. Now, apart from being guaranteed her biggest payday, she is also certain to finish 2008 with her highest year ending ranking.

She has never closed the calendar inside the world’s top ten before and after some concerted performances in recent months that put her in a position to replace Sharapova, she now looks a player to watch next year. “I enjoy working,” she said. “I'm enjoying playing. I like to challenge myself. I try to do my best on the court every time.”

Today will however be a demanding test. Zvonareva’s record against the elder of the Williams sisters is not good. In six previous meetings Venus’ s only defeat came in a French Open match on clay more than five and a half years ago, and the Russian has not even won a set since.

Despite playing on the women’s tour for 14 years, this is one of the more prestigious titles to thus far evade Williams. She too was unbeaten throughout her three group matches but was forced to work hard to overcome world no.1 Jelena Jankovic 6-2,2-6,6-3.

And though her past record will boost Venus’s confidence, she must be aware she will need to eradicate sub-standard serving that resulted in eight double faults against Jankovic. There was little doubt that she was beginning to encounter the outer limits of exhaustion as the match with Jankovic came to a close and will be a test of her physical conditioning to see if she can recover in less than 24 hours.

“What got me through the match was just being consistent I think at the right times,” said the 28 year-old who has spent more than eight hours on court in her four matches so far. “Definitely in the final set was all about fighting but all of these matches this week have been intense.”

Meanwhile women’s tennis will finish the year in the strange position of having a world no.1 ranked player who has neither won a Grand Slam title nor reached the final of the WTA Tour Championships. Jankovic characteristically laughed off the anomaly and said: “That I can leave for next year. If I do everything now, what will I do in 2009?”

Adopting a more serious air she continued: “I'm really going to work hard in my preseason, in my off season. I'm really going to give it my best. And it will be the first time in my young career that I'm going to hopefully begin the year 100% ready to compete at my highest level.”