NEW YORK Last week, Serena Williams said in a moment of melancholy that she couldn't remember when she last won the U.S. Open. That would be in 2002, a victory over her sister Venus. She was 20 years old then and it seemed like she could own Arthur Ashe Stadium court for a generation.
Somehow, she lost the deed.
Injuries, tougher competition and a lack of focus conspired to keep Serena from what seemed to be her divine fate as a regular U.S. Open champion.
Now she has the chance to wear the crown again. Friday she defeated Dinara Safina in the semifinals, overcoming a strong opponent to register a 6-3, 6-2 victory that sets up Saturday night's final against Jelena Jankovic, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Elena Dementieva.
Difficult to believe, but Serena had not been past the quarterfinals at the Open since she won it. She has won the Australian Open three times and Wimbledon once since then. She has also reached two Wimbledon finals, and this July was beaten by Venus in the final, one that showed conclusively that she was back in the mix for 2008. She never doubted herself, never imagined that she wouldn't be playing for the Open title again.
“Absolutely not,” she said. “I've always felt my game is suited to withstand a long time and play for years and years.”
Williams won 65 percent of her first serves and committed only 21 errors. Through swirling winds, Williams maintained her service rhythm and stayed low and solid on her groundstrokes.
Safina, on the other hand, was having fits. Her service toss and her groundstrokes were blown off kilter. Williams' high-kicking forehand was a particular problem. Safina committed 41 errors and won only 55 percent of her first-service points.
“I was maybe 80 percent out there but I waste 60 on being negative on the court,” Safina said. “I was behaving like a really spoiled girl … But she behaved like a champion.”
This is Jankovic's first appearance in a Grand Slam final. She reached the No. 1 ranking for a week in August despite winning only one tournament this year. But she is a consistent performer, having reached the semifinals at the Australian and the French.
“This is the first Grand Slam that I don't have any injuries,” Jankovic said. “I wasn't thinking about my tennis. ‘Oh, my God, this is hurting, this is bothering me.' So I was struggling and really not playing my tennis and not thinking about my game.”
In a battle of defensive players, Jankovic did a better job of playing rope-a-dope, staying in the points longer and waiting for errors. Dementieva committed 42 errors to Jankovic's 22. That style has also worked against Williams to the extent that the two have split six career meetings, including two this year. Jankovic will take over the No. 1 ranking again, win or lose.
“I beat her at the Australian Open; she beat me in Miami in three sets,” Jankovic said. “She's a powerful player. She loves to play here at the Open, but so do I. I love being here.”
She will have to overcome a confident Serena Williams who beat her sister Venus in a majestic quarterfinal match. “Overall, I think she is the strongest player on tour, together with her sister,” Jankovic said. “I cannot compare to any of them with their strength. They're great athletes. I'm a little athlete … So it will be difficult, but it's doable.”
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