Serena Proves Once Again She’s the Best

Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka locked themselves into an epic third-set battle, which Williams eventually won 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

By Joe McDonald

(September 9, 2012) -- It was a battle of conversing styles: Serena Williams' power game, which intimidates any opponent, against Victoria Azarenka’s precision style, hitting the lines on cue and making balls unreturnable. 

After easily trading sets, both Williams and Azarenka locked themselves into an epic third, which Williams eventually prevailed 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 to win her fourth U..S Open title and first since 2008.

“It was such a great experience,” Serena said. “Gosh, it really is amazing. I came in the summer knowing it was going to be a long summer, but I knew that I could do well if I just put my mind to it. 

“I knew that I could just be a good player and a champion this summer. I never expected to win all these titles.

“The highlight has just been so amazing.  Everything has been so amazing, so it's just been fabulous.”

It was Serena’s experience that allowed her to take this. Azarenka was serving for the match at 5-4 in the third and couldn’t come up. Williams took the first three points and easily won it after Vika could only manage one.
 

“It was definitely a lot of self belief in myself, but I felt like there was just too many one , two shot rallies that didn't allow me to grind it a little bit, you know, the way I like it, and not really make me feel in control at that particular moment,” Azarenka said.  “I felt like I didn't create enough a little bit myself.”

And that was all she wrote for Azarenka who played her heart out. Serena easily took the next two games to win put away the 23 year-old Belarusian who played at the top of her game.

Yet, watch makes this even more amazing is how Serena came back full circle. She didn’t play in 2010 and last year she made the final just months after having a pulmonary embolism, which doesn’t just possibly end a career but could end a life as well.

But Serena endured and lost to Samantha Stosur in three sets and then was back at full strength in 2012, winning Wimbledon, the Gold Medal in the Olympics, and now the Open.

It’s been a heck of a few months for the 30 year-old to say the least. 

So, you know, it means a lot,” she said. To win Wimbledon is always so special, but coming to your home country and winning this one is always... it's just awesome. 

“And to win two in a year, it's great.  I'm really, really excited," Serena added. "I don't know what to do.”

There’s really nothing left to prove for the younger Williams sister. But unlike Andy Roddick, who decided to hang it up, she is still at the top of her game and will be around for as long as she wants to play. 

And she will continue to dominate her game. Unlike the men’s side where it’s top heavy between the big four, Serena is the only one who can play that type of game on the women’s end. She won’t hold a No. 1 rank anymore simply because Williams doesn’t play in as many matches to allow herself to accumulate points. But she is a big game hunter and no matter where she is ranked, she is a contender for the Grand Slams. 

A few years ago, you had to wonder if Serena wanted to continue to play tennis. Her heart didn’t seem to be into it. That has changed now and she has become the dominate force again. Tournaments are judged if Serena is playing or not, because if she is, the road to the title goes through her. 

Azarenka learned that today. You don’t give Serena an inch, because if you do, she will take it and use it against you.

“For me she's the greatest player of all time,” Azarenka said. “She took the game to the next level. As I said before, she makes me all the time to make sure that I'm taking my game, my personality, my physical aspect to the next level.

“So, you know, having few of the players like that in the women's tour right now is something priceless, you know, something that you cannot take away.”

It’s what makes a champion, which is what Serena surely is. 

 

(Photo Credit: Andy Kentla)