Serena aims to join the greats
WORLD number one Serena Williams will try to capture her 17th Grand Slam title and become the oldest women’s champion in US Open history in a finals rematch today (10.30pm SA time) with second seed Victoria Azarenka.
Williams, who defeated Azarenka in last year’s final, seeks her fifth US Open crown in her seventh final, her 21st Grand Slam final, and would be the first top-seeded champion since Justine Henin in 2007.
And she would move her career slam total just one shy of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert for second on the all-time list behind the 22 of Steffi Graf.
“I can’t think about it,” Williams said. “It’s so close but still so far. I have to play a great player and play great tennis.”
Williams could win the title 18 days before her 32nd birthday, making her 293 days older than Australian Margaret Court when she won in 1973.
And after titles in 1999, 2002, 2008 and last year, she could claim back-to-back crowns.
But world No 2 Azarenka, a 24-year-old from Belarus, sees herself as more versatile and dangerous than when losing to Williams 6-2 2-6 7-5 in the final a year ago.
“There are aspects that got better physically,” Azarenka said. “I felt like this year was a great turning point for me on some level for my career. I feel like I’m a better player. I’m a more complete player. From the ground strokes to movement to coming in to variety, I think all those little things are coming together.”
Azarenka, who won the past two Australian Open titles, seeks a third career Grand Slam title and could be the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1997 to win the US and Australian Opens in the same year.
“You’ve got to fight,” Azarenka said. “You have got to run, you’ve got to grind, and you’ve got to bite with your teeth for whatever opportunity you have. She is an amazing player. She’s the greatest of all time.
“It’s just important to take my chances because she’s a player who doesn’t give you anything. She’s really, really powerful, so it’s important to try to find a way to be dictating yourself.”
Williams and Azarenka will have combined to win six of eight Grand Slam titles over the past two years, although their only Grand Slam finals matchups in the span have come in New York.
Williams leads the all-time rivalry 12-3, but Azarenka has won two of three matches this year, most recently in last month’s Cincinnati final.
Not since Serena and her sister Venus in the 2001 and 2002 finals have the same women played the final in consecutive years. — Sapa-AFP