Well Safarova has put up much sterner resistance than it appeared she would half way through this second set but Serena is now one service game away from her 20th Gran Slam title.

Great first point for Safarova but Williams quells any momentum with a blistering ace, her ninth of the match.

Williams does brilliantly to pick up a deep ball but Safarova then fires into the net, missing a great chance but she is back in the game at 30-30 with a well placed forehand down the line.

Serena having to earn this here. And Williams fires into the net and Safarova has another break point and she makes it with a quite magnificent backhand down the line to set up a tie break.

Safarova starts with a big ace as she looks to take charge of the second set but Williams wins the next two points with one that clips the baseline before Safarova goes long.

The Czech goes long again after a deep return and Williams has break point on second serve and she returns to the corner and Williams will serve for the championship.

Having been 4-1 up in the second set, Serena Williams is now serving to stay in the set.

It’s a good start for her though, as Safarova can’t return a serve down the centre before Williams has her running all over the court and smashes a winner.

Safarova sends a return too long and Williams holds her serve with an ace.

MIKE DICKSON IN PARIS: With the way thing have gone in Serena’s matches before now you would almost say it is a danger for her to win the first set. There was a danger this was going to be shorter than the resumption of the Murray match, but that has now passed.

This looked over 15 minutes ago, but we are being treated to a fantastic comeback. Safarova getting on the offensive much more now, stretching Williams from one side of the court to another.

Safarova looking for her fourth consecutive game, but Williams saves one point before firing into the net to give Safarova the lead in the second set.

Safarova has roared back into this one in the last two games but Williams is still a break up, let’s not forget.

Williams hits one wide, she looks all out of sorts just now. Huge scream from Williams as Safarova sends a return long.

Safarova takes a 30-15 lead in the game as Serena just struggles to land the first. Great defence by the Czech and Williams hits it wide. Two more break points for Safarova. Unbelievable stuff here.

Another second serve, big chance for Safarova. And it’s another double fault and Safarova takes three games in a row.

WOW, a brilliant shot by Safarova as she turns defence into attack with a great drop shot. Is the tide turning? I doubt it but we shall see.

Serena fires wide at the end of a long rally and Safarova holds her serve to 15. Game on?

Serena Williams has dominated with her serve today, Lucie Safarova has not even gotten close to break point.

Williams hits her third double fault of the match, but then screeches her seventh ace of the ace past Safarova. 

The Czech stays in the game with a lovely forehand down the line and then takes Williams to deuce for the first time in the match.

And now Safarova has break point. I didn’t see that coming, I don’t think anyone did. And she gets the break courtesy of another double fault.

You don’t have to be a tennis expert to sense that this match will be over fairly shortly.

Williams guesses the right way during a lengthy rally and fires a forehand too wide for Safarova to get the ball back.

Another break point for Williams and she takes the double break with an unbelievable backhand return. No answer from Safarova to this.

Williams wins the first point but goes long on the second as she closes in on her 20th Grand Slam title.

Williams comes into the net, for what must be the first time in the match, but Safarova fires into the net. Another comfortable hold for Williams as she smashes a backhand with incredible ferocity.

Not much Lucie Safarova can do to stop this at the moment. Her first serve percentage is good but Williams has an answer for everything right now.

Safarova gets lucky as Williams hits an unforced error wide before a brilliant wide serve and cross-court forehand combo.

Safarova holds to get on the board in this second set.

Williams stepping so far inside the baseline for Safarova’s second serve, but this time she can only fire into the net.

Safarova take a 30-0 lead as she forces Williams to put a forehand wide but Williams follows it up with a crushing return off the second serve. 

Safarova has to work harder to get her first serve in. Williams sets up break point. Second serve again but it’s a good one and Williams cant’t get it back.

Safarova follows it up with an ace, her first of the match, but Williams crushes her second serve again to take it back to deuce. Great backhand down the line by Williams and it’s set point again, but Williams sends it long.

Excellent deep return by Serena. Third break point and this times she gets it with a brilliant forehand.

Serena Williams serving for the first set. Second serve is not punished by Safarova as she hits it wide and Williams follows it up with another ace. Safarova goes after the second serve again but again misses the chance by firing into the net.

Three set points. One of them is saved. The second isn’t. And Williams takes the first set in just over half an hour.

Safarova serves to stay in the first set. Good start as she forces Williams to fire into the net before sending the world No 1 wide and forcing another error to take a 30-0 lead.

Williams punishing the second serve with a rasping cross-court forehand, followed by a focussed stare by Williams.

Too good from Williams and she sets up the first set point. But Safarova defends well before earning deuce with a great forehand down the line. And she holds the game after staving off the set point.

Williams lands a wide serve and Safarova’s return is sent crashing back past her in no time. Lovely combination by by Williams.

A much better return has Williams on the back foot and she hits into the net and Safarova hits another great return right down by the baseline.

A scream of ‘C’mon’ from Williams as she finishes the game with an ace. Williams one game away from taking this first set.

Serena Williams not showing any signs of the illness that hampered her in the semi-final match but she is beaten by crisp Safarova forehand.

Safarova raced into a 40-0 love lead but missed a chance to take the game as she lands a simple forehand wide, but she does hold. A good service game for the Czech there.

Lucie Safarova really struggling, as many in the women’s game do, to cope with the sheer power of Serena Williams just now.

Serena double faults wins the next point as Safarova sends the return wide. Williams fires in a body serve and Safarova can’t adjust herself in time.

Another double fault by Williams. She is serving directly out of the sun here, which might be an issue. She has already abandoned a couple of serves after throwing the ball up too.

Williams holds again to open up a 4-1 lead.

A quick change of ends and we’re back under way. A lengthy rally to start with before Safarova goes long. Too many rallies in this searing heat on’t be easy for the players.

Williams powers her way to a 0-3- lead with a brutal forehand, before Safarova takes advantage of an opening to fire a winner.

Wow, such a powerful return from Williams off the second serve to set up two break points. And she only needs one as she sends a crushing return across court.

When Williams gets her first serve in, Safarova isn’t standing much of a chance at the moment. If Serena can keep her percentages high you would worry for the Czech.

But she shows great defence to stave off Williams and force the error from the world No 1 to make it 30-30.

But Safarova can’t keep a second serve return in before Williams finished with an ace.

Williams executed her immense power again as it flicks off the net and drops kindly for her to power a backhand down the line. No chance for Safarova there. The Czech lands a decent first serve that Williams can’t return before the American fired one into the net after a long rally.

Williams steps forward for the second serve of Safarova but she only finds the net again, a missed chance for Serena there.

Safarova holds her first service game to 30 and that will settle her down nicely 

Serena Williams fails to land her first serve in but the power of the second serve is too much Safarova, who responds with a brilliant forehand down the line to get on the board.

No concerns over Williams health as she crashes a cross court backhand past her opponent before she even had time to move. An ace to end the game as Williams win it to 15.

Serena Williams and Lucie Safarova have played each other eight times and Williams has won them all, dropping just three sets.

Serena has just popped off for a toilet break before play gets under way. Could she be struggling already?

The players are just running a few minutes late here but they are now making their way on to Court Philippe Chatrier.

They have of course had to warm up on a different court after the Murray vs Djokovic match unexpectedly continued today.

The coin toss takes place and Serena wins and chooses to serve first. Players just going through a quick knock up before the final kicks off.

MIKE DICKSON: Speaking the language, owning an apartment in Paris, having a French coach — Serena Williams identifies with Roland Garros more than any Grand Slam venue.

But on Friday she rested up at her apartment rather than practise at what, paradoxically, has been the least productive of the majors during her career.

Only two of her 19 biggest titles have been claimed at the place she loves so much but she goes for a third on Saturday. In theory this ought not to be Williams’ most testing assignment against Grand Slam final debutant Lucie Safarova, the world No 13.

READ THEF FULL STORY HERE

There is no pressure on Lucie Safarova today. No one is expecting her to beat the world No 1 but she can take comfort in the fact that the French Open has not always been a happy hunting ground for Serena Williams.

The American has won 19 Grand Slam titles but only two of them have come at Roland Garros, plus the American hasn’t trained in the last two days because of that illness.

Based on that Safarova has a chance, then again it could be over in an hour.

Earlier this afternoon Andy Murray was dumped out of the tournament in the semi-final after losing to Novak Djokovic in five sets.

MIKE DICKSON: 

Andy Murray backed Novak Djokovic onto the ropes on Saturday but was unable to deliver the killer blow and force his way through to the French Open final.

Resuming at 3-3 in the fourth set, the 28 year-old Scot played nervelessly to take their semi-final match into a deciding set before going down 3-6, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 1-6 in the 62 minutes of play needed after the lunchtime restart.

He had Djokovic decidedly wobbling at the start of the fifth but could not complete what would have been his eighth comeback from two sets down, and his first from merely a set down against the world No 1.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

Good afternoon, folks and welcome along to Sportsmail’s live coverage of the French Open women’s final between Serena Williams and Lucie Safarova.

The world No 1 struggled through her semi-final dropping the first set against Timea Bacsinszky but pulled through to win the third set six games to love.

Williams, who is bidding to win her third title at Roland Garros, later complained of suffering from flu-like symptoms during the match.

Her opponent Lucie Safarova is appearing in her first Grand Slam final and will be hoping to capitalise on any rustiness the American may be feeling.

It’s an absolutely stunning day in Paris so stay tuned as we bring you all the action as it happens.