Serena Williams is the Winner of US Open 2008

The final score was 6-4, 7-5. It surely shows that it was a close match. I mean that you may think, Serena Williams just played good enough to win the match with the narrowest of distances. Yes, I agree with you that Serena was a bit lucky in the end. Jelena Jankovic also contributed some to make Serena as the champion of US Open 2008 ladies singles.

Jelena Jankovic was too much excited to be in the final. She was so happy that she forgot her tennis and started celebrating little too early perhaps. Jelena Jankovic made a lot of unforced errors and that in the cost her the match. However, I should not decrease the credit of Serena Williams. She is a born fighter. With this win, she again regained number one ranking in tennis. The last time, she was the number one ranked player in tennis was in 2003. Thus, it took her 5 years to come back in the top spot. I don’t know of any other female tennis player who could do similar thing. In fact, in US Open 2008, Serena Williams did not lose any set.

US Open 2008 has ended for all the girls. Now, it is time to take some rest and think of the next Grand Slam Tournament- Australian Open 2009.

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New York Times

Serena Williams not to Follow Henin to Go into Retirement

You already know that the unexpected retirement of Justine Henin came as a shock to all in the tennis world. She is still 25 and was in her prime form at the top of the WTA ranking. Fans, players, pundits, legends all have been moved by Henin’s announcement of retirement from tennis. Serena Williams was of no difference, but world no. 5 is confident that she is not going to follow Justine Henin because Serena thinks she still find love for Tennis and always awaits for the next grand slam tournament in the schedule. She reveals that she never overplays, so there is no reason she could fall out of love with tennis. It is definitely good new for the fans of Serena Williams.

She is now going to take part in French Open 2008. She also revealed that she always loves Paris and recalled her match against Jennifer Capriati in 2002 semi final which she terms as a big step in her career.

AFP reported:

"I have never overplayed," said Williams, who made her debut here in 1998. "But I still have had a fabulous career.

"It's tough on the tour. You have to play so many events or you get fined. It's not easy to stay fit and healthy. Mentally you can just drop. So I have had my own schedule and I do my own thing.

"I still enjoy the game and now I find that I can't wait for Wimbledon and I can't wait for the US Open and the Australian Open. I feel like I want to keep coming here for many years to come."

"Now I have had the best preparation I've had since 2002. I feel like I have played so many claycourt tournaments. I feel like I'm a claycourt player. I'm comfortable out there which is great."

Can you sense anything from her last few lines, “I feel like I'm a claycourt player.” Don’t you think that it seems to be a threat for others who are eyeing on French Open 2008 title at this moment?

Well, I think, Serena Williams is not more confidence of wining her second French Open title this time with Henin got out of the way. However, Serena should not forget that still there are players like Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic who may have less experience than Serena, but when it comes to skill and talent, you can not put them behind Serena Williams.

Serena Williams in French Open 2008

French Open 2008 is now just few days away. Like all other favorite players, Serena Williams is also busy with her last minute preparation at this moment. This former world no. 1 has won the French Open title in 2002, but since then she could not win anymore title at Roland-Garros. It may seem that Serena Williams does not feel comfortable in clay-court. However, the truth is that she went lots of ups and downs during this period of her career.

Serena Williams is one of the best ever female players of Open Era. In fact, she is the last player, among both male and female, to have won all four grand slam titles. Serena Williams has eight grand slam singles title so far in her career, Australian Open 2007 being the last grand slam title.

Now, the top seeded American star is gunning for French Open 2008, due to kick off from 25 May. Serena Williams was not that much impressive in Australian Open 2008, as she had to get out of the tournament being defeated to Jelena Jankovic in the quarter final. However, getting into French Open 2008 as fifth seed, I think, she does not need to feel less confident; rather she should stick to her power display on the court in order to win her second French Open title. However, the recent form of Serena Williams is not that much impressive, and to add more pain to the injury, she is suffering from a minor back injury too. Serena Williams lost to thirteen seed Dinara Safina in German Open, while in the recently concluded Italian Open, she had to withdraw herself at the quarter final stage due to back injury.

Well, if you are an avid fan of tennis, you must know about the mental strength of Serena Williams (no less than her physical strength). That is what needed for her at this moment to hold her confidence up ahead of another grand slam tournament. I think, Serena Williams is a bit out of lime light at this moment and that is an advantage for the fifth seed to clinch another French Open title.

Do you think that Serena Williams will be able to replicate her French Open 2002 success in this year’s French Open?

Serena Williams vs Jelena Jankovic: Quarter Final of Australian Open 2008

Serena Williams powered into the quarter final of Australian Open setting up a rematch of the fourth round 2006 Australian Open match against Jelena Jankovic in the quarter final of Australian Open 2008. Serena Williams roared past the 12^th seed Nicole Vaidisova in the fourth round in a straight-sets victory. Serena did not find enough resistance from Vaidisova in her 6-3 6-4 victory. However, Serena was challenged for some time in the second set. However, Serena Williams’ shots proved too much for her Czech opponent in the match.

Serena Williams is one of those few players who have not dropped any set so far in Australian Open 2008. However, the seventh seed is now happy with her performance saying that she did not have that much rhythm. Terming her movement ‘lazy’, Serena has said that she was not moving the way she wanted.

Herald Sun reported:

"I felt like I didn't have a lot of rhythm out there," Williams said. "I felt lazy, like I wasn't moving the way I wanted to. But overall, I think it boiled down to serves and returns.

"I just want to move better and just make a few less errors.I think (in) my second round I didn't make that many unforced errors, so I want to do that again."

This is where Serena Williams’s inspiration lies. She has been in an imperious form, but still she is not satisfied with it. Jelena Jankovic, in contrast, is now in her great form. It seems that her hard-fought first round victory has taken a heavy toll which she yet to recover. The third seed reached the first quarter final of Australian Open defeating Australia’s last hope Casey Dellacqua in straight sets.

Jelena Jankovic is not yet in her prime form. So, getting her form back should be the main concern of Jankovic ahead of the quarterfinal showdown against Serena Williams. Last year, Serena Williams outclassed the Serbian in straight sets. The record books says that there were four Serena Williams vs Jelena Jankovic matches held in the past in which both of them won two apiece.

Now, when another clash is coming nearer, it is certain that Serena Williams has an edge over the Jelena Jankovic in terms of performance and physical fitness. Though Serena claimed that she is yet to get back her full rhythm and movement, still Serena Williams looks much more confident. So, I think, reaching semi final will not be an easy task for Jelena Jankovic unless she gets her form back and plays her best in the quarter final.

US Open 2007: Justine Henin to Meet Serena Williams in Quarter Final

World no. 1 Justine Henin has got the ticket of quarter final in US Open 2007. This top seed Belgian projected a easy win over the Russian Dinara Safina in their fourth round match. Henin won the match by 6-0, 6-2. Justin Henin has not lost any set in her first four matches of US Open 2007. So, you can easily realize the current form of Justine Henin. However, Henin is going to face strong challenge in her quarter final match against no.8 seed Serena Williams.

Newsday reported:
Williams, after yesterday's two-set victory over 10th-seeded Marion Bartoli, said, "I'm excited about the prospect of meeting [Henin] again."
"I hope it's going to be another great one," Henin said. "We know each other pretty well. I know everyone was waiting for that match, and here we are."

To many, the match is going to be a classic one in US Open 2007. French Open Champion Serena defeated Henin in two of their three meeting this year. Henin won over Serena by 6-4, 6-3 at the French Open whereas Serena won against Henin in a WTA Tour tournament and then in Wimbledon. To tell the truth, both Justine Henin and Serena Williams like to play dominating over the opponent. So, it will be nice to see who will dominate over whom in the quarter final match.

US Open 2007: Serena Williams Reaches at Quarter Final

Serena Williams has reached at the quarter final round of US Open 2007. So, she becomes the first quarter finalist of women’s singles in US Open 2007. Serena defeated another top seed Marion Bartoli in her fourth round match. Actually, Australian open winner Serena could not give any chance to her French opponent Marion Bartoli as Serena won the match in direct two sets. The score line is 6-3, 6-4.

Marion Bartoli played her first grand slam final in Wimbledon 2007. So, it was expected that Bartoli will go for something bigger in US Open 2007. However, in the match, she could not show any resistant against Serena Williams. Actually, Serena is getting tougher with her progresses. Actually, the victory over Bartoli is the easiest one in US Open 2007. Serena Williams is now one of the most favorites to win the title of US Open 2007.

Serena Williams has already won 8 grand slam titles in her career. She won her last US Open title in 2002. Just a few years back, Serena and her elder sister Venus Williams were the top two players in the tennis world. Most probably they are first siblings who could dominate the tennis world. This year, Serena Williams won the Australian Open title and Venus Williams won the Wimbledon 2007 title. So, it seems that they are coming again with that dominance.

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Examiner.com

US Open 2007: Serena Williams Reaches at the Fourth Round

Favorite Serena Williams has reached at the fourth round of US Open 2007. Serena won her third round match against Russian Vera Zvonareva by 6-4, 7-6. Though Serena won the first set easily, she had to face a strong challenge in the second set. Second set was decided in tie breaker. Anyway, Serena Williams is one of the favorites in this tournament. Serena won her last US Open title in 2002. So, Serena Williams will try to get back her home grand slam title this time. Serena Williams will face Wimbledon 2007 finalist Marion Bartoli in the fourth round.

News Day reported:
Serena, on the other hand, lamented, "I don't think I've been practicing the greatest." Frustrated? "Not as frustrated as my other two rounds." Happier with her play? "I don't know if I'm happy; I'm happy I was able to come through. I don't think I played well at all."

Serena won the Australian Open 2007. However, in French Open and Wimbledon, she could not even reach at the final. So, US Open 2007 is a big chance for the American to win her third US Open and ninth overall grand slam title. Serena fans are now definitely waiting for something like that.

Wimbledon 2007: A New Hope for the Williams Sisters?

You do not have to work hard to recall the dominance of the Williams sisters over the tennis world in the recent past. Even two to three years ago, any Grand Slam tournaments became the synonyms to the Williams sisters. Venus and Serena Williams used to be thought as the ultimate finalist of any Grand Slam tournament as both of them appeared in six Grand Slam finals from 2001 to 2003. I am not sure if there was any other example of such dominance over the tennis world by two siblings at the same period of time.

After 2003, performance of both the sisters started deteriorating and some new stars like Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin came into lime light. Yet in 2005, both Venus Williams and Serena Williams could win a Grand Slam title each after two years. Venus won Wimbledon 2005 and Serena won Australian Open 2005. However, no more dominating image was seen in their performance. Nevertheless, Williams’ fans could hope for the revival of their career but nothing happened in the next one year as neither of them could even reach to any Grand Slam finals in 2006.

However, the year 2007 has been a new hope for both Venus and Serena as both the sisters has already won a Grand Slam each till now. Again, Serena won Australian Open 2007 and Venus won Wimbledon 2007. However, fans do not want to see the reversal of 2005. U.S. Open 2007 is yet to be held. So, let’s see if the Williams sisters can really revive their career and get back their dominance over the tennis world.