US Open Women's Singles Final: Serena outguns gutsy Azarenka to retain title

Serena Williams won her 17th Grand Slam title and became the oldest women's champion when she beat Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1 in the US Open final in windy conditions on Arthur Ashe Stadium court on Sunday.

This is Serena's fifth US Open crown in her seventh final, her 21st career Grand Slam final, and she is now the first top-seeded champion since Justine Henin in 2007.

Serena has moved her career Slam total just one shy of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert for second on the all-time list behind the 22 of retired German star Steffi Graf.

Serena has won the title 18 days before her 32nd birthday, making her 293 days older than Australian Margaret Court was when she won the 1973 title to set the current age mark.

A battling Azarenka won a second-set tiebreaker 8-6 to send the final to a third set.

After losing the first set 7-5, Azarenka found herself down 4-1 with Serena serving.

The determined Azarenka, who had double-faulted three times in losing her serve in the fifth game, broke the big-serving American three times to take the set to a tiebreaker.

Serena, who twice served to win the match, double-faulted on the last point of the game that made it 6-6 and forced the tiebreaker.

Serena rushed out to a 3-1 lead in the decider, but Azarenka won five of the next six points to take charge at 6-4 before taking the tiebreaker when Serena belted a backhand too long.

Serena seized the advantage immediately in the first set, breaking Azarenka's serve in the opening game by winning four of the first five points, the first three on groundstroke errors before blasting a backhand crosscourt winner to grab a 1-0 lead.

Azarenka got even in the very next game though, breaking back at 30 when Serena's backhand carried long riding the wind.

Both players struggled in the blustery conditions, which seemed to unsettle defending champion Serena, who was muttering to herself about the wind between points and having trouble keeping her pink tennis skirt from flying up.

The set remained on serve until the 11th game when Serena began to find her stride and ripped a backhand to Azarenka's feet that the Belarusian dumped into the net to lose serve and give the American a 6-5 lead.

Serving for the set, Serena won four straight points, giving her eight points in a row to claim the opening set.

THIRD SET

Yes that's it, Serena finally does it. She gets two match points but seals it off in the second one. Serena is ecstatic as his family celebrate in the gallery. But credit to Azarenka who really fought hard to stretch it for so long and to make it a thrilling finale. Serena wins 7-5 7-6, 6-1.

BREAK! Serena this time not looking to relax and wants to finish it off. That's a second successive break as she prepares to serve again for the championship. 7-5 7-6, 5-1

Impressive quick serves including three aces and Serena is back to her best. Seals off the game without dropping a point. 7-5 7-6, 4-1.

BREAK! Serena drags Azarenka's serve to deuce and earns the break. Very crucial one for Serena while Azarenka will have to fight back really hard. 7-5 7-6, 3-1  

Serena just manages to hold her serve. She is trying hard not to lose her focus. But Azarenka is going great at the moment. 7-5 7-6, 2-1  

Azarenka looks to be improving as Serena seems to be going the other way. Azarenka holds her serve to level. 7-5 7-6, 1-1

Serena holds her serve to go 1-0 in third set. She is looking furious over the several missed opportunities. 7-5 7-6 1-0

SECOND SET

Amazing fightback from Azarenka. She holds her cool to win the tie-breaker 8-6 to take the second set 7-6. It's one-all and down to the final set. A fitting final on display here. 7-5 7-6.

BREAK! The battle continues. Azarenka not giving it up so easily. Serena has the double fault trouble and blows away her chances. It's tie-break. 7-5 6-6

BREAK! Strong show from Serena as she earns three break points and breaks Azarenka in the third attempt. She now serves for the Championship. 7-5, 6-5

BREAK! Azarenka makes a great fightback. Earns a couple of breakpoints and successfully manages to break Serena's serve in the second attempt. 7-5, 5-5

Interesting rallies as Azarenka wins her serve. Serena serves now for championship. 7-5 5-4.

A powerful ace at 119kmph and Serena holds her serve comfortably.Just a game away from winning the title. 7-5 5-3.

Double faults continue to haunt Azarenka. But she gets her composure to hold on to her serve with a brilliant forehand winner. 7-5 4-3.

BREAK! Azarenka is not finished yet. She fights her way to gain double break points and manages to win it in the second. 7-5 4-2

This should be easy for Serena from here as long as she does not lose her track.

BREAK! Azarenka losing her focus with three double faults. Things just not working for her as Serena stretches her lead. 7-5 4-1.

Azarenka led 40-15 with double break point. But Serena fought back well to ensure she did not lose serving an ace coupled with some powerful rallies. 7-5 3-1.

Azarenka just manages to hold her serve. Serena proving to be tough nut to crack. 7-5 2-1

Serena is firing aces here. Two aces and she races to a 2-0 lead. Azarenka looking out of sorts at the moment. 7-5 2-0.

BREAK! Serena looking in brilliant form. She dominates early on in the second set to break Azarenka. 1-0

FIRST SET

Triple set point and Williams takes the first one to win the first set in style. 7-5 in first set.

BREAK! Azarenka leading 40-30 loses with Serena coming up with some amazing forehand shots. Serena leads 6-5 as she prepares to serve for the set.

Despite two double faults Serena ensures she gets it right. Azarenka had her moments including a lovely drop shot but Serena held her serve after three deuces to make it 5-all.

Lovely rallies from two superb players but Azarenka finished it off well to hold her serve. She leads 5-4.

Three good serves and that was easy for Serena. It's 4-all.

Azarenka holds her serve with a fine lob shot. Serena looks to be not very happy with the wind blowing. Azarenka leads 4-3.

Serena gets this game quite easily with a beautiful backhand winner. Azarenka did get some fine shots but not good enough. It's 3-3.

Serena really pouncing on Azarenka with her powerful backhand shots, but she has been erratic. Azarenka holds serve to lead 3-2.

Azarenka looked impressive but could not break past Serena's powerful serve. It's 2-2.

Azarenka holds her serve this time. Leads 2-1 in first set.

BREAK! Azarenka not letting slip it from her hands. Responds with same grit to break right back to level 1-all.

BREAK! Serena begins with a bang. Some powerful shots coming off her from the baseline. Azarenka gets only a point as Serena breaks to lead 1-0

Azarenka prepares to serve.

Serena and Azarenka begin warming up at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. It's going to be an interesting battle though the favourite remains to be Serena whose had a dominating run to the final.

PREVIEW

Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, good friends off the court but fierce rivals on it, will be in full battle mode on Sunday for a women's singles championship rematch at the US Open.

World number one Williams will be shooting for her 17th Grand Slam singles title and fifth US crown when she defends against two-time reigning Australian Open champion Azarenka, who fell 7-5 in the third set to Serena in last year's Flushing Meadows final.

Williams said she and Azarenka have no trouble getting their game faces on for a showdown.

"We completely get along, and once the match is on we are completely opponents," said Williams. "That's what it's about.

"We leave everything on the court, play as hard as we can, almost as if we've never met each other in our lives."

Azarenka said Williams brings out the best in her.

"She's obviously an amazing player. She's the greatest of all time," said the 24-year-old Belarussian.

"When you play against Serena, you have to play your best because she makes me play my best.

"I think I kind of do the same way to her. I think we kind of raise each other's level all the time and take each other to the limit - to go out of that place where you sometimes don't know how far you can go, but you just still go for it."

Williams leads their career head-to-head 12-3, but Azarenka is gaining ground with wins in two of their last three meetings.

The world number two beat the American in the final in Cincinnati, taking the US Open run-up event by 8-6 in a third-set tiebreaker, and in the final this year at Doha.

"You've got to fight," Azarenka said about taking on Williams. "You've got to run, you've got to grind, and you've got to bite with your teeth for whatever opportunity you have."

Williams, a 6-0 6-3 winner against China's Li Na in the semi-finals, has been overpowering in the tournament, losing a mere 16 games from six straight wins.

Azarenka has been more uneven, dropping two sets along the way and struggling at times to hold serve, but she looked to be approaching top form with her 6-4 6-2 demolition of Italian Flavia Pennetta in the semi-finals.

Williams said she expected Azarenka to raise her level when they face off in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I definitely feel like when she plays me she plays her best, by far. I have seen her play other players, and when I play her I'm playing a totally different player," Williams said. "Obviously, she brings her best game."

Williams shrugged off her recent results against Azarenka, saying the grand slam stage was an entirely different matter.

"Different energy, different opportunities. This is for a grand slam," underlined Williams. "I mean, she's trying to win yet another one, I'm trying to win one myself."

Azarenka has yet to beat Williams in a grand slam event, losing all seven of their previous meetings.

Williams, who won her first slam singles 14 years ago by defeating Martina Hingis at the US Open, has become increasingly aware of her status on the all-time lists, saying that she measured greatness by the numbers.

A 17th Grand Slam title would put her just one shy of two of her tennis heroes - Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who share fourth place on the all-time list of most grand slam singles trophies.

"I thought about that, but I can't think about that," said Williams about her quest to reach 18. "It's still so close but it's still so far. I have to win against a great player and I have to play great tennis."

A win for Williams, who turns 32 this month, would put her in the record books as the oldest US Open women's champion since tennis turned professional in 1968, eclipsing Australian Margaret Court, who was 31 years and 55 days old when she triumphed in 1973.

Victory will be extra lucrative for Sunday's winner.

Besides the $2.6 million prize for claiming the title, Williams would receive a $1 million bonus for having won the US Open series of run-up events, while Azarenka would pocket an additional $500,000 with the win for being the Open series runner-up.

Paths to women's final

Following are the paths to the US Open women's final to be played on Sunday at the US National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York (prefix denotes seeding):

1-Serena Williams (US), world number one First round - beat Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-0 6-1 Second round - beat Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan) 6-3 6-0 Third round - beat Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) 6-3 6-1 Fourth round - beat 15-Sloane Stephens (US) 6-4 6-1 Quarter-finals - beat 18-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-0 6-0 Semi-finals - beat 5-Li Na (China) 6-0 6-3

Total time on court: seven hours, nine minutes

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2-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus), world number two First round - beat Dinah Pfizenmaier (Germany) 6-0 6-0 Second round - Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) 6-3 6-1 Third round - beat 26-Alize Cornet (France) 6-7(2) 6-3 6-2 Fourth round - beat 13-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 4-6 6-3 6-4 Quarter-finals - beat Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-2 6-3 Semi-finals - beat Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 6-4 6-2 Total time on court: nine hours, 53 minutes


 

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