Maria Sharapova will bid to become only the 10th woman to complete the career Grand Slam when she meets Sara Errani in Saturday's French Open final.
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Sharapova has returned to the top of the world rankings with her run to the final, her first at Roland Garros.
"It will be special," said the 25-year-old Russian, a former Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon champion.
"To be in this situation is going to be quite new, but it's something I've dreamed of for a long time."
Sharapova won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, and added the US and Australian titles by the time she was 20.
However, with a shoulder injury having put her career in jeopardy, Sharapova last topped the world rankings in 2008, and ended a three-year run without a Grand Slam final appearance at last year's Wimbledon.
She was beaten by Petra Kvitova, and suffered a similar fate against Victoria Azarenka at this year's Australian Open, but will start as favourite against Errani.
The Italian had won only one match at the French Open before this year, but arrived at Roland Garros having reached the last eight at the Australian Open and won three Tour titles, all on clay.
Sharapova said: "She's won so many titles already on clay, and these last couple of weeks she's really been improving, beating great players, and is really confident - and that's obviously a dangerous opponent."
Errani left Italy at the age of 12 to join Nick Bollettieri's famous academy in Florida, staying there for 10 months before returning to Europe and training in Spain.
Sharapova is also a former Bollettieri pupil, having arrived there in 1994 aged seven. However, she and Errani have never played each other.
Prior to her run at Roland Garros, the 21st-seeded Italian had lost all 28 of her matches against players in the world's top 10, but changed all that with wins over Angelique Kerber and Sam Stosur.
"I've never thought, 'I can't beat someone in the top 10.' I play and give my best, and if I don't win, I don't win," Errani explained.
"I don't think about whether I can win the title. I just think about the next match. If I win, then I think about the next one."
She attributes her good form this season to using a racquet with a longer handle to generate extra power.
"It was love at first sight," said the 25-year-old. "From my first practices with it, I really felt completely different. I could control the ball better. I could hit it faster. It boosted my confidence.
Sharapova has returned to the top of the world rankings with her run to the final, her first at Roland Garros.
"It will be special," said the 25-year-old Russian, a former Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon champion.
"To be in this situation is going to be quite new, but it's something I've dreamed of for a long time."
Sharapova won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, and added the US and Australian titles by the time she was 20.
However, with a shoulder injury having put her career in jeopardy, Sharapova last topped the world rankings in 2008, and ended a three-year run without a Grand Slam final appearance at last year's Wimbledon.
She was beaten by Petra Kvitova, and suffered a similar fate against Victoria Azarenka at this year's Australian Open, but will start as favourite against Errani.
The Italian had won only one match at the French Open before this year, but arrived at Roland Garros having reached the last eight at the Australian Open and won three Tour titles, all on clay.
Sharapova said: "She's won so many titles already on clay, and these last couple of weeks she's really been improving, beating great players, and is really confident - and that's obviously a dangerous opponent."
Errani left Italy at the age of 12 to join Nick Bollettieri's famous academy in Florida, staying there for 10 months before returning to Europe and training in Spain.
Sharapova is also a former Bollettieri pupil, having arrived there in 1994 aged seven. However, she and Errani have never played each other.
Prior to her run at Roland Garros, the 21st-seeded Italian had lost all 28 of her matches against players in the world's top 10, but changed all that with wins over Angelique Kerber and Sam Stosur.
"I've never thought, 'I can't beat someone in the top 10.' I play and give my best, and if I don't win, I don't win," Errani explained.
"I don't think about whether I can win the title. I just think about the next match. If I win, then I think about the next one."
She attributes her good form this season to using a racquet with a longer handle to generate extra power.
"It was love at first sight," said the 25-year-old. "From my first practices with it, I really felt completely different. I could control the ball better. I could hit it faster. It boosted my confidence.
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