Serena Williams Wins US Open Title

2008 Bank of the West Classic semifinalist Serena Williams defeated second-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday to win her third US Open title and ninth Grand Slam singles title overall.

For Williams the win marked her first win at Flushing Meadow since 2002, and moved her into the No. 1 spot in the world rankings for the first time since 2003.

Jankovic, who spent one week at No. 1 earlier this summer, was playing in her first Grand Slam final and for a while it looked like she would force Williams to go three sets.

The young Serbian star pushed Williams to the limit running down shot after shot and actually held four set points in the second set. But in the end Williams’ power was too much to overcome.

Williams, seeded fourth at the US Open, finished with 44 winners, 29 more than Jankovic. Three of those winners erased a love-40 deficit while trailing 5-3 in the second set. Jankovic held another set point in the following game but double faulted.

Williams made her first appearance at this year’s Bank of the West Classic. As the tournament’s top seed she reached the semifinals before being forced the retire with a knee injury in the second set of her match against Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak.

Wozniak went on to win the Bank of the West singles title with a straight set victory over Marion Bartoli.