US Open - Imposing Williams returns to US final

Eurosport - Sat, 06 Sep 21:05:00 2008

Serena Williams returned to the US Open final for the first time in six years by sweeping away sixth-seeded Dinara Safina of Russia 6-3 6-2 in a windblown contest.

TENNIS 2008 US Open Serena Williams - 0

The fourth-seeded American, who last played the Flushing Meadows title match in 2002 when she won her second U.S. crown, will meet second seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia with the world number one ranking also going to the winner.

Jankovic defeated Olympic champion Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-4 6-4 to advance to her first grand slam final.

"It's so awesome," Williams, who hopped up and down with joy after her service winner clinched victory, said courtside.

"I'm just happy to be finally back in the finals," added the eight-times grand slam winner, whose 2002 title match against sister Venus marked the last time the women's final here featured an American.

"For once, an American back in the finals here so I'm really excited."

Williams dealt best with blustery winds that blew groundstrokes wide and long, and played havoc with serve tosses that sometimes strayed too far to hit and ended up bouncing towards the net.

Russian Safina broke the 26-year-old Williams in the opening game of the match but soon became frustrated with the gusting winds arriving ahead of an expected storm front.

Safina, who was initially successful in pounding her powerful forehand, gave the break back in the fourth game and was broken again in the eighth game on four errors to trail 5-3.

The Russian, who had been red-hot with six trips to the finals in her last seven events including three wins, shrieked after mis-hits flew off her racket and at one point yelled, "I hate this wind!" She logged 41 unforced errors in the match.

Williams saved two breakpoints serving for the set in the next game and clinched it when Safina drove a forehand dead into the ground at the base of the net.

The second set started with three service breaks with the American emerging 2-1 ahead.

In the third game, Williams showed some of the fire she displayed in her quarter-final victory over sister Venus, drilling a forehand into Safina's chest from close range after racing in to hit a short ball.

Williams eased back after that, satisfied to keep balls in play and wait for Safina to make mistakes in the difficult conditions. She had just 21 unforced errors in the match.

"I thought, okay, if it's so windy then I'm not going to go for so many winners and stay out here and do what I can," explained Williams.

Safina lost serve again in the fifth game and Williams romped to victory on her first match point with a thundering serve up the middle that the Russian could not handle.

At the net, Williams apologised to Safina, saying she meant no harm on the drive that struck the Russian and the two walked off amicably.

Williams said she looked forward to a spirited title match against Jankovic.

"I think she's playing really well and she's just having so much fun," Williams said. "She has nothing to lose and neither do I."

Safina said she let herself down by acting like a "spoilt girl".

"I think I was behaving like a really spoilt girl today," Safina said.

"I have to learn from these things if I want to get better. If I want to make one step in front, I have to learn to handle my emotions better."

Safina, runner-up at both the French Open and Olympics, said the windy conditions had contributed to her bad body language.

"I think today I was feeling physically better than previous days but it's too bad behaviour from my side.

"Maybe I was 80 percent physically and mentally but I spent 60 of it being negative on the court, like shooting around and complaining about everything."

Safina said the way Williams coped with the conditions and the occasion was something she would like to replicate in future.

"I could see she was having some problems at first and I was 2-0 up with a break but she behaved like a champion," she said.

"She also had some wind problems, but she was there and she was fighting with me, and I was fighting with everything around except her. This I can learn from her."

Reuters

Comment 75 - 94 of 94

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Hey take it easy everyone. I didnt say I dont like tits or booties or I am gay which is not problem for me. I just said that a tennis woman should have a body of a sportswoman not a HHooker. When I want to see a porn I'd like to see a porn movie, not Serene Williams playing. She distract eveyone from enjoing the game and instead we find ourselves moving up and down with her tits...all of you remember that Venus had the same case but after she managed to reduce the size of her tits and know she is a pretty tenniswoman. Dave

    From davewvt, on Fri 12 Sep 12:35PM

  2. Davewvt whatever ur name is?!! I think you r very shallow and idiot. I dont know what gives u the right to call a perfectly talented, beautiful woman a @#$%. Like comment 83 said u must be a homosexual wats wrong with big tits? FREAK . Stop HATING and start respecting. These girls have brought the best to womens tennis like it or not and they here 2 stay and to win more grand SLAMS. Common SERENA

    From cckavuma2, on Sun 7 Sep 11:17PM

  3. sfa d-item 90.yes adorable serena lost to adorable dementieva at the olympics(infact during the olympics i rooted 4 dementieva but this is the US open and i want an american to win and the most qualified american in a population of 300mill people apart from venus is serena) because in this life u win and lose some.even the greatest sportsman of the last century Alli lost some fights.but dont criticise any athlete bcs of looks.but sincerely i think serena is very pretty and even without her millions i would marry her anyday.

    From franklin b concience, on Sun 7 Sep 7:01PM

  4. Wen will all dis hatin stop, no wonder the williams have stuck together since the beginnin, wid ppl lik this against them, they have no choice. Well it shows how gr8 ppl tink dey are, dat dey can afford to fix matches as if they wil win the tourny or have anoda chance to win. Your just sayin the other women are incapable of imposin a threat to the williams domination, and why would the family allow serena to win all dem slams against her sister, where was the fairness in that. Venus usually loses to serena cos she doesnt have da same attitude serena has, ruthless. The main thing for venus is gettin to play her sister in finals, for serena its winnin hu ever it is.

    From P B, on Sun 7 Sep 3:51PM

  5. People are always on the williams case because they beat the ppl dey wan2 win. Understandably, because They are prejudice, they are unable to just view tennis wen it comes to the women an hu have been the greatest for the last 11 years full stop. The Williams are not the ones retirin early or citin da fact dey cant keep up wid da willaims, which shows the impact they have. Instead people focus on wat dey percieve to be beautiful an find it difficult to support 2 black beautiful women hu have talent to win matches an slams.

    From P B, on Sun 7 Sep 3:46PM

  6. Australian open 2005 in the semi-final! Maria had three match points and lost it. Serena then beat Lindsay Davenport in the final and my other favourite Marat Safin took out Federer in the semis and went on to win the title. So Marat and Serena won in 2005. Serena came back to win last year where she demolished Sharapova.

    From Vic M, on Sun 7 Sep 3:42PM

  7. dear vic 89 -- we did't know that please tellus

    PLEASE REMIND US --- WHERE--WHEN dear Maria Sharapova ---- LOST 3 match points

    sorry to trouble you ____ we did't know -___----- please inform us ---- many thanks

    From Sfa D, on Sun 7 Sep 3:04PM

  8. DONT FORGET ---- serema --LOST yes LOST TO - - ADORABLE ,,ELENA DEMENTIEVA - at -OLYMPICS

    From Sfa D, on Sun 7 Sep 2:48PM

  9. jesty, tyme get lost! Do u honestly think that Justine who had match points against Serena, fixed it? Maria had three match points but lost it , fixed it? Kim Clijsters was 5-1 in the thirs set but lost it, fixed it? Even if that were the case, do u honestly think in ur little brain that Dinara can beat Serena? Or any other woman can live with Serena on court when she's at her best? Stop deluding cos Serena and Venus are the best players ever! Get a life and career!

    From Vic M, on Sun 7 Sep 2:18PM

  10. sererna should be fined banned & disqualified for fixed matches
    to gain an unfair advantage over her semi final opponent

    everyone knows it happened == time for corrective action ---NOW

    From jestyn.thyme, on Sun 7 Sep 7:32AM

  11. item 83 kate seems 2B the only sensible polite comment around today

    From Sfa D, on Sat 6 Sep 7:44PM

  12. ignore,abandon,ignore,snub,ignore...teeheehee,chuckle.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 6:49PM

  13. davewt! U r already wrinkled cos believe me black doesn't crack and Serena will always be beautiful. Us straight men love big booty and big tits regardless of colour! Is that why ur mother has botox to have fully booty, tits and lips? U must be a homosexual and that's fine. But u don't diss the best looking, best female tennis player in the history of the game. There's a reason u watch her obviously...besides, she's richer than ur entire family and country so stick to eating ur baked beans and licking fluff from ur ugly father's behind! Serena and Rafe to Win!

    From Vic M, on Sat 6 Sep 6:43PM

  14. in the semi final serena had a very very big advantage ---- in her previous match she knew the result
    in advance -- that she would be the winner so they could provide an entertaining exhibition match

    WITH NO _ NO MENTAL TENSION --== all relaxed mental atmosphere
    this helped her considerably against Dinar Safina who had faced a tiring tough exhausting week
    whose mental surroundings were under attack

    THIS GAVE SERENA A VERY UNFAIR MENTAL EDGE FROM THE START

    From ekaterinabell, on Sat 6 Sep 6:40PM

  15. Davetwit, i bit your lil toga is giving you a complex,i like those tits and the fact that you cant spell properly makes you an idiot, illiterate, stupid and a trailer trash and a waste of space,you need to sell your comp and buy food

    From nechimaliq, on Sat 6 Sep 5:52PM

  16. ____THE WILLIAMS ARE THE BEST THING TO HAPEN TO FEMALE TENNIS

    WILLIAMS #1

    From abrokenlife, on Sat 6 Sep 5:27PM

  17. I dont know why everyone keep talking about this FFucKKing HHooker. She has nothing with tennis. Look at those big TTits and you realize she came from one og those discusting hipe hop black clips!!!!!!

    From davewvt, on Sat 6 Sep 4:25PM

  18. hey lets go watch the 'never say die' djokovic versus the legendary federer.they are on.bye!!

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 4:21PM

  19. ignore,ignore,ignore.chuckle.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 4:15PM

  20. are PEROXODE BLONDES ___ --girls - with a ---DARK PAST

    From startoratora, on Sat 6 Sep 4:03PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account