Serena, Jankovic will duel in final

NEW YORK - Maybe someone put a Whoopie Cushion on Richard Williams's chair. Because there he was, jumping up and down after every point, high-fiving everyone around him. No sooner would daughter Serena hit another forehand winner than there was Richard, jack-in-the-box-like, flying out of his seat in the second row of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Finally, when her semifinal opponent, Dinara Safina, made yet another error - her 41st! - to give Williams a 6-3, 6-2 pass into the US Open final, the 27-year-old American did her own rabbit-like impression, hopping to the net to shake hands.

It has been six long years since the youngest Williams sister stood at this juncture in New York, six years of injury, personal heartache, and outside interests. Not since 2002, when Serena beat her sister, Venus, for the title here, has an American woman been in the final of the US Open.

With talk throughout the day of an impending hurricane that might or might not postpone the men's semifinals and women's final and extend the tournament a day, the air around the USTA National Tennis Center felt balmy, breezy, and foreboding. More than 20,000 fans were on hand to watch second-seeded Jelena Jankovic outpower Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva, 6-4, 6-4, in the first semifinal, but fewer than 15,000 remained by the time Williams had annihilated Safina. Perhaps the others had gone home to make sure they had batteries for their flashlights.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel for Safina, who earlier this year dedicated herself to a new fitness regimen and an overhaul of her sometimes tempestuous personality. The 22-year-old Russian entered the semifinals having won 37 of her last 41 matches and 20 or her last 21. She had reached the finals of six of her last seven tournaments, including the French Open and the Olympics.

But against Williams, Safina imploded, despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first set. Trying to match Williams shot for shot off the ground proved futile and, even though she hit more winners than Williams, she also struck twice as many errors.

"Today was physically and mentally 80 [percent]," said Safina, who could have earned a $1 million bonus had she won the tournament, the payout for winning the summer hard-court US Open Series. "But I spent 60 on being negative on the court, like shooting around and complaining about everything. I think I was behaving like a really spoiled girl on the court today.

"She was there and she was fighting with me," Safina added. "I was fighting with everything around except her. I think I can learn really good from her how to handle these situations."

There will be very little learning curve for Jankovic, Williams's final-round opponent. After 10 hours 43 minutes on court over the course of her five matches here, the second-seeded Serb has had plenty of time to work out the kinks. Against Dementieva, the runner-up here in 2004, Jankovic fought back from a 2-4 deficit in the first set by playing who-can-skim-the-ball-lower-over-the-net, and winning.

But if Dementieva was stronger physically, she broke down mentally, especially when Jankovic was given a warning for a time violation while toweling off before waiting to break serve for the first set. Jankovic also took extra time on match point while complaining to chair umpire Lynn Welch that the fans were making too much noise. The match ended when Dementieva dropped serve with an overhit forehand.

That Jankovic is finally in her first major final is something of an upset to begin with. Her mind may be among the sharpest in the game, but her body has often betrayed her. Already this year she has suffered from an injured gluteus muscle, back pain at the Australian Open, a bacterial illness that lingered for three months and caused her breathing problems, a swollen arm at the French Open, and a torn meniscus in her knee that she said hindered her at Wimbledon and during the Olympics. But now, finally, she is healthy.

"Not having injuries, not having some problems, is giving me a good opportunity to be here," said Jankovic, who reached the semifinals at the Australian and French Opens this year. "Mentally I feel I'm a lot stronger because I really believe in myself. I really want to do this. I think it's time for me to make that step forward, to break that barrier and go a long way."

For Williams and Jankovic - who are 3-3 head to head, all on hard courts - a US Open title holds tremendous rewards, not to mention a $1.5 million prize check. Whoever wins the final will take over the No. 1 world ranking from Ana Ivanovic, who was upset in the second round here. Williams and Jankovic have already been ranked No. 1 - Jankovic for just one week earlier this month; Williams for 57 weeks from July 2002 to August 2003.

"No. 1 is not my goal," said Williams, who credited hard work, both on and off the court, for her resurgent play. "I've been enjoying my time on the court and playing a lot. I know I'll get [to No. 1] if I continue to play the tournaments. I just want to play and stay healthy.

"I mean," Williams added with a sly grin, "I'm here to stay."

Americans Bob and Mike Bryan captured their second US Open men's doubles title with a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (12-10) victory over Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic and Leander Paes of India.

The Bryans, 30, have won five other major titles: the '03 French Open, the '05 US Open, the '06 Wimbledon, the '06 and '07 Australian. They are the only men's doubles team in US history to win all four majors.