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 35 - 54 of 94

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  1. i would rather be an ape with 100million US dollars,honour and olympic gold medals for my country than an ostritch like strato......,hahahahahahahahahahaha.calling someone ape no longer hurts its a cliche.one day that so called ape would become president of the 'greatest nation' in the world and he would be voted in by resonable people of all races ,and not people like arditya or strato...whatever.hahahahahahahahahaha.u choke me with laughter i now know ur point,it is not because of the snarl or the millons but ur problem is inside you strato....whatever.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 11:42AM

  2. startora.......,the great pele started playing with rolled socks as football not the real ball.tiger didnt start with expensive clubs. there are different classes of rackets,at a youngstars level.a youngstar can start with an affordable one.when she becomes even a 'mini star' racket manufacturers will be begging her to use their 'gold' rackets.encourage ur daughters to start wit what you can afford.pray for serena and your daughters will one day become great like her.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 11:28AM

  3. if you hate the snarl plug ur ears or dont watch her game.like mohammed alli's snarl i lov serena's snarls.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 11:16AM

  4. stratora......whatever.sure u hav been giving urself thumbs up because no fool would giv u a thumbs up.critcise serena if there is any reason but dont insult her.she doesnt even know u exist.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 11:12AM

  5. let serena snarl,she did not start snarling today,its the way she plays.i love her for it.statoratora go sell ur computer if u are not using a borrowed one and use it to buy tennis rackets 4 your beautiful daughters.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 11:06AM

  6. statorat.....or whatevver.thank God serena's parents made sacrifices to make their kids bcom who they are today.its sad if you have been quaffing all ur resources and doing nothing to develop your 3 daughters.i think they need a new dad because wit a negative dad or is it mum,like you i am afraid 4 those innocent girls.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 11:01AM

  7. startora.....whatever,whats wrong in being a bear,my serena is a beautiful teddy bear who has achieved something you can only achieve in your sleep-ofcourse i know u are always in bed while she works her self out.DONT ASK HER HOW SHE HAS BEEN SPENDING HER FUNDS,SHE HAS BEEN PAYING HER TAX AND LET THE GOVERNMENT USE IT TO DEVELOP YOUNGSTARS.HOWEVER LET ME INTIMATE YOU THAT SERENA SUPPORTS MANY FOUNDATIONs LIKE THE OWL FOUNDATION.SHE SUPPORTS THE HOLLYROD FOUNDATION,WHICH ASSISTS THOSE SUFFERING DEBILITATING LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE PARKINSONS SYNDROME.THIS FOUNDATION IS ALSO SUPPORTD BY PEOPLE OF GREAT MINDS LIKE CARMEN ELECTRA,EVA MENDES AND ANGEL KIDJO.SHE ALSO SUPPORTS WORLD EDUCATION ANOTHER FOUNDATION.SERENA GIVES AND IF SHE SHOULD START BLABBING ABOUT IT TOO MUCH PEOPLE LIKE YOU WLD CALL HER A LOUD MOUTH.and serena's achievement is enough motivation for millions around the world who are inspired by her resillience and not only her charity work.i love u serena,i love you.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 10:45AM

  8. 2 rawlings u
    why would you even spend time responding to someone like Startoratora?
    Ofcourse such people are always envious of other people's success. He hate her with passion just for no tangible reason other than she is a champion!

    From tonybush, on Sat 6 Sep 10:34AM

  9. To Startoratora. People like u who wake in the morning just to find fault in others never live long. Yes, they die very young which I think will happen to you sooner than later. How dear you call another human created by God whose only sin (against you) is playing tennis a bear? Williams sisters are a pride of womanhood. I know you dont have a wife hence no daughter cos they are really in trouble. Women should be careful of evil people like you. Poeple who hates the good in others never see good.

    From rawlings u, on Sat 6 Sep 10:10AM

  10. re startoratora. Why do think that the sisters should put money back into tennis for tother to benefit. They came a deprived area and background, but their father concentrated their minds and made them believe with hard work they could achieve their goals, and despite all the sniping at him when the sisters first came on the tennis circuit they've fulfilled their potential. Sticks and stones.

    From Leroy, on Sat 6 Sep 10:02AM

  11. JJ is the best!

    From Maja, on Sat 6 Sep 10:01AM

  12. Come on JJ!

    From Maja, on Sat 6 Sep 10:01AM

  13. l agree that if u are over forty years old now u are of the idea that todays tennis is more about power.times will always change.lm sure that in sixty years time l will be saying the same thing.Some 20 years ago l used to watch tennis when popular players shouted and abused the empires.l am happy that it is now in the past.

    From Ronald, on Sat 6 Sep 9:49AM

  14. Dinara Safina is an athlete who is ready to learn and correct her mistakes.coaches love athletes like her.she will be great.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 9:13AM

  15. serena is power,vision,beauty and style,she does not hate, so dont hate her.

    From franklin b concience, on Sat 6 Sep 9:11AM

  16. JUST WHAT ARE SISTERS DOING TO HELP YOUNGSTERS JOIN TENNIS
    THEY CERTAINLY HAVE A FEW MILLION SPARE SURPLUS CASH

    FOR OUR 3 DAUGHTERS WE CAN ONLY AFFORD OLD WOODEN RAQUETS
    FROM THE LOCAL CHARITY SHOP TO PLAY ON THE LOCAL PAVING

    From startoratora, on Sat 6 Sep 8:55AM

  17. HI GLORIA --27 ---- NOT 'BEST PLAYER' ---- just a glorified mechanical battering ram
    not sport any more ___ --- simply IRAQ WAR __ -- only for the MONEY __ MONEY

    From startoratora, on Sat 6 Sep 8:29AM

  18. congrats serena,and i can`t wait for you to be my champion.
    goodluck love!

    From ezuo j, on Sat 6 Sep 8:28AM

  19. i`m so happy that serena won,but love the spirit of safina.she would definitely go places in life.

    From ezuo j, on Sat 6 Sep 8:26AM

  20. THE SISTERS HAVE HARVESTED --- OVER---- 100 MILLION $$$$$ FROM TENNIS !

    IT IS DEFINITELY TIME FOR THEM TOPLOUGH BACK SOME OF THEIR MULTI MILLION FORTUNE

    BACK IN TO THE GAME---- HELPING UNDER PRIVILEDGED YOUNGSTERS INTO THE GAME

    LESS THAN 20% OF THEIR VAST FORTUNE WOULD FOUND ADEQUATE SCHOOLING

    From startoratora, on Sat 6 Sep 8:26AM
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