NEW YORK (AFP) - Two-time winner Serena Williams advanced to her first US Open final in six years, breezing past Russian Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-2 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday.
"I am finally back in the finals," Williams said. "An American back in the finals. I am really excited."
Williams set up a finals showdown with world No. 2 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, who beat Russian Elena Dementieva 6-4, 6-4 earlier in the day.
There will be plenty on the line in the final, which is scheduled for Saturday but could be moved to Sunday if an expected storm blows into the New York area.
Not only will they be gunning for the 1.5 million dollars in first place prize money but the winner will also surpass Ana Ivanovic as world number one.
Williams kept her game plan simple, converting 5-of-10 break-point opportunities and making just 21 unforced errors on an afternoon where the wind howled through the main stadium court.
At one point in the match, Safina had her serve broken four consecutive times.
She made 41 unforced errors and converted just 2-of-6 break-point opportunities in the 88-minute match.
Serena rallied from having her serve broken on her opening game of the match to take the first set by winning the final three games.
A win in the final major championship of the year would have put the perfect exclamation point on Safina's brilliant season.
Her big brother, Marat Safin, won his first Grand Slam title at the 2000 US Open and she was hoping to follow in his footsteps.
Safina has advanced to the final of six of her past eight tournaments, including winning the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics and reaching the final of the French Open.
Comment 1 - 10 of 10
celebrate we have only one tennis thug in the final ----not 2
pittifull sererma should be fined banned & disqualified
for fixed match results ------ we all know about it
the predetermined match result gave her a totally relaxed mental attitude
to start her semi final free of tension in more relaxed mood
giving her a most unfair advantage over her opponent ==== BLATANT CHEATING
should be disqualified and banned for 2 years
ITEM 4-7 startoratora....WHATS THE MATTER WITH YOU YOU???...YOU SEEM TO BE LOST IN YOUR OWN STRUGGLES.....ANYWAY, SAFINA TRIED HER BEST AND HER TIME IS YET TO COME.... THE WILLIAMS SISTERS STILL TOP THE LIST.... I LOVE SERENA, LEVEL HEADED GURL, GOOD ADDITUTE AND SHE'S HOT
POOR DINARA SAFINA---- WAS --- TOTALLY- TIRED EXHAUSTED BY SCHEDULE --MOST UNFAIR
POOR DINARA SAFINA---- WAS --- TOTALLY- TIRED EXHAUSTED BY SCHEDULE --MOST UNFAIR
ITEM 3 --- VIC -- WELLSAID -- HANG UP THEIR RAQUETS for contrived FIXED RESULTS
YET ANOTHER FIXED MATCH RESULT ----- SERENA ALLOWED EASY PASSAGE IN PREVIOUS ROUND
TO PROVIDE EXTRA REST TIME---- for semi final
NOWE WE HAVE MECHANICAL BATTERING RAM IN THE FIXED FINAL __ NO SKILL ___ JUST IRAQ WAR
Serena is the best player in the World and Venus is the second! Sorry Safina, I like u and Marat but u r still very young, maybe u can do it after the Williams have hung up their racquets but for now, they are vjust too good and move so well. But at least u will be in the top five and I like u cos u too r special!
safina you are a good player,only that you played a greater one, keep your head up as your time will come soon if you faint not.
SORRY SAFINA THERES ALWAYS NEXT YEAR, KEEP IMPROVING AND HOPE YOU DONT DRAW THE WILLIAMS SISTERS ANYMORE
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