Safin, Hewitt aiming to be destiny's child

Sunday's final between Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin is an epic battle between one man's destiny and another's determination.

Sunday's centenary Australian Open final between local hero Lleyton Hewitt and Russian Marat Safin is more than just a promoter's dream -- it is a classic battle between one man's destiny and another's determination.

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Hewitt has fantasised about winning the Australian Open since his parents introduced him to tennis as a small child.

He wasn't even born when Mark Edmondson, the last Australian to win the championship, beat John Newcombe in the 1976 final but he did see Pat Cash make the final in 1988.

Hewitt was just seven at the time but decided then to dedicate his life to going one step further than his childhood hero by winning the title.

"The Australian Open obviously means a lot to me," Hewitt said this week.

"Part of the dream's come true. I've put myself in a position to have a crack at it."

But Safin believes destiny is on his side and Hewitt will have to wait his turn. While the fiery Australian had never even made it past the fourth round in his previous eight appearances in the Open, Safin was runner-up in 2002 and again last year.

While he lost those two finals, the first to Thomas Johansson and the second to Roger Federer, he says fate is with him this time.