Williams Powers to Title at U.S. Open
Win Over Jankovic Ensures No. 1 Rank
Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after winning a game against Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia, during the women's finals championship match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
(Elise Amendola - AP)
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Monday, September 8, 2008
FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., Sept. 7 -- With a daunting display of power, precision and grit, Serena Williams won her third U.S. Open on Sunday and regained the No. 1 ranking more than five years after she last held it.
And with the achievement, defeating Serbia's Jelena Jankovic, 6-4, 7-5, she flung her racket in the air and shrieked, jumping up and down more than a half-dozen times before sprinting courtside for an embrace from her father, who years ago fashioned champions from his two younger daughters.
For all but two stretches in the 2-hour 4-minute final, which had been postponed one day by Tropical Storm Hanna, Williams overwhelmed Jankovic, arguably the best defensive player in the women's game.
But it's doubtful that any woman (except perhaps Williams's elder sister, Venus, who looked on from the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium with the sisters' mother, Oracene Price) could have beaten Serena on this night or at any point in this tournament.
Williams stormed to the title, the ninth major of her career, without losing a set.
"I'm so excited," she said afterward. "I wasn't even going for number one, and it's just like an added bonus."
The match offered a delicious contrast of strengths, tactics and style.
Williams, 26, in a candy-apple red dress, dictated tempo with a booming serve and groundstrokes.
Jankovic, 23, in lemon-chiffon yellow, played the human backboard, racing around the court to retrieve every ball she could. It was exhausting work, with Jankovic lunging and skidding from one sideline to the other.
She shoveled some near-winners back across the net. Others eluded her reach, and Jankovic ended up doing the splits instead or doubling over and gasping for air. More than once she erupted in laughter over the gulf between the power Williams generated and her own.
"She has all these strengths," Jankovic said of Williams. "She's a great athlete. If you want to beat her, you need to be even a little level above her best."
That said, Jankovic had four opportunities to force a third set, but came up short each time.
