The fact that Serena can be unstoppable is common knowledge. She proved it time and time again. Nevertheless, after a serious leg injury and a life threatening disease, clouds of doubts began surfacing the sky. Not her sky though, as it remained pretty sunny in Serenaland. She always had faith in herself and in her abilities to regain her throne. And she was right in doing so. She proved it a couple of weeks ago in Stanford when she collected her first trophy after her return, and she followed it in Toronto with another impressive display.
After an easy win over Alona Bondarenka and a rather grueling encounter with German Julia Gorges, she benefited from Kim Clijsters retirement to avoid a highly expected clash with the Belgian in the third. Instead, she met Chinese Jie Zheng. It wasn't quite a walk in the park for the American, who lost the first set before ensuring a 4-6,6-3.6-3 victory. Serena had to overcome some tough resistance in the quarterfinals also, when her opponent, Lucie Safarova, won the first set. As previously, Serena best delivers when under pressure. Consequently, she stormed through the next sets to emerge victorious 4-6,6-3,6-2. As so many times before, when the occasion requires it, Williams is there to push the trigger. She did just that in the semifinals, brushing aside a red-hot Victoria Azarenka. The Belorussian didn't do much wrong, but Serena's raw power and mental strength proved too much for a still fragile Azarenka. The final showdown provided her a tricky rival, Samantha Stosur actually winning their last encounter in the quarterfinals of the 2010 French Open. This time around, the youngest Williams was ready for the Aussie's assault. She ensured a decisive break in the ninth game of first set and never looked back, winning the battle in impressive fashion: 6-4,6-2.
Now, after capturing back-to-back titles on the North American hardcourts, Serena looks as imperious as ever. It's like she was never gone. But again, this has always been the case with her. She returns after extensive lay-offs determined to win and she somehow finds a way to have the tennis world at her feet. She looks to have found the golden recipe, managing to make time stay still. She is definitely a major contestant for the Flushing Meadows crown, which, as things present at the moment, is hers for the taking.
photo: GETTY IMAGES
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