Mal's Picks
	Washington Former ATP Tour pro MaliVai Washington provides ESPN.com with in-depth analysis during the Australian Open. Washington, a tennis analyst for ESPN, reached the 1996 Wimbledon final.

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Marat Safin is an overwhelming favorite. As much a favorite in this match over Thomas Johansson as Andre Agassi was last year in the final against Arnaud Clement.

Safin's flat-out a better tennis player. He's continuing to play excellent tennis. He beat the second-best player left in the tournament in Tommy Haas to get here.

This final has the potential to be an overwhelming occasion for Johansson. He told me how nervous he was going into his semifinal against Jiri Novak. It took him two sets before he was able to settle down and get into a rhythm. Johansson will be nervous in the final, but he can't afford to take two sets before he settles down.

Johansson is really going to have to play well at the beginning of this match because Safin is a great front-runner. Safin is 39-0 in Grand Slam matches when he wins the first set. That means when he starts out early on a good roll, he's able to finish.

On top of all of that, Johansson is going to have to play literally the best match he's ever played to win this tournament.