Here’s the big question for today – Is Serena Williams as good as Steffi Graf?

Why this is a crucial question is because Williams, the defending champion here at the Sony Ericsson Open, is looking to capture her fifth career title in Miami. She has picked up the trophy in 2002, 2003, 2004 – that was a nice three-year stretch – and then, of course, last year.

The fabulous Graf, who longtime tennis journalist Bud Collins nicknamed “Fraulein Forehand” many years ago, is one up on the winner’s scale here in Miami. Graf holds five Miami titles, which is the most since the tournament began in 1985 – Andre Agassi’s wife won in 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995 and 1996.

Now, chasing a record of Steffi Graf’s is a formidable task as one might imagine, but for Jelena Jankovic, who will face Williams in today’s final, chasing Serena Williams on her home court can be just as steep a climb. The Serb star is playing here at Crandon Park for the sixth consecutive year, and her previous best showing was third round berths in 2004 and 2007.

Tour insiders would readily tell you that both Serena and Jelena are two of the biggest personalities on the tour.

To be honest, Serena is often kind of out there, but that tends to make her an amusing entertainment. She keeps abreast of the world around and wants to always be cutting edge. Take notice of the bob hairstyle she’s wearing – take a look around Hollywood and bobs are the bomb – Katie Holmes, aka Tom Cruise’s wife, sports a bob and so do many others. So it’s no surprise that Serena, who has played a role or two in Hollywood, is into the bob too. She told one journalist who asked that she likes the 50’s look. (Just as a p.s., I can be accused of going with the fashion trend as well as I also chopped off my traditionally long locks into a bob just three weeks ago, so no demerits here for Serena following the style conscious).

As for Jelena, she could certainly win the award for the most delightful, humorous woman on the tour. She can make anything sound like a joke she’s cracking, and just seems to delight in everything. She doesn’t complain and has been known to take exception to her colleagues who complain, wondering as to what could be wrong with their lives in being millionaires, getting to travel in style and playing the game they love. Jelena also is willing to give pretty much anything a go, which is why she dressed up for the Sony Ericsson Open kick-off party in this outrageous dress made from hundreds of Sony Ericsson cell phone parts. She did admit afterwards that the dress came with some hazards as in it’s not easy to sit down when you have a lot of plastic parts all over the place.

For Williams, a win here will be big as it will be her second title of the year. She is also showing the world, who have often thought her interest in tennis was waning, that at the moment her world is all about hitting forehands and backhands. She hasn’t looked this fit in a long time, and she’s showing that spark that signals she’ll go to any lengths to pull herself out of a hole to win a match. She did that against a feisty Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals and against Flavia Penetta in the second round.

Jankovic is even luckier to still be in the game here to reach her first final in seven tournaments played this season. Jankovic literally trailed Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 5-1 in the third set and then saved an astonishing five match points in the third set before moving on in the draw.

Jankovic is battling a cold this week; Williams was having her back treated on-court in her semifinal against Kuznetsova. And that’s all there is on the medical front to report.

The head-to-head skinny on these two actually has Jankovic leading the world No. 8 Williams 3-2 in career meetings. What’s significant is that Jankovic won their latest encounter 6-3, 6-4 in the Australian Open quarterfinal in January.

Can Jankovic continue her 2008 winning ways against Williams today?

Probably not! Nothing against Jelena, but this is Serena’s home court and that is an advantage she will find to hard conquer. Move over Steffi Graf and make room for Serena Williams for when today is over, it will be Serena and Steffi owning five Sony Ericsson Open titles.

In the men’s doubles final today, the best in the business twins Bob and Mike Bryan – they are your defending champions – are looking for their first title of the year.  In six tournaments already played this year, they’ve failed to score the title in four finals – Sydney, Delray Beach, San Jose and Las Vegas.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles have won back-to-back titles at Dubai and Memphis out of six events they’ve played this season. They also have won 14 of the last 15 matches they’ve played.

The two teams have already faced each other once this year with Bhupathi and Knowles taking the encounter in the Australian Open quarterfinal.

The Bryans desperately need to start holding up their world No. 1 ranking with a big win here at the Sony Ericsson Open. But it’s hard to get past the fact that Bhupathi and Knowles have momentum on their side.