Williams captures Open title

New US Open champ Serena Williams still had some spring in her step. (shaun best/Reuters)

NEW YORK - One day last week, as Jelena Jankovic was being driven to her temporary home on Long Island after a long day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the 23-year-old Serb started joking with the driver assigned to escort her.

"He told me, 'You made my day. You laugh a lot. You really lighten up, you know, even this car. Is it because you're No. 1 or 2 in the world?' I said, 'No, I was laughing when I was [No. ] 1,000 in the world, but maybe even a little bit more now that I'm No. 1 or 2."

By last night, however, it was 26-year-old Serena Williams who had the last laugh.

With an awe-inspiring display, Williams outmuscled, outserved, outmaneu vered and, in the end, simply outplayed Jankovic to claim her third US Open and ninth major championship with a 6-4, 7-5 victory. Her older sister, Venus, has seven majors, including five Wimbledon titles.

Williams, who had won this title in 1999 and 2002, did not drop a set in seven matches during this fortnight. She pushed Jankovic around the court in the first set so that the lithe little lady in the lemon-colored dress was reduced to huffing and puffing as Williams blew her house down.

Later, after she had hit a short backhand crosscourt angle winner to capture the championship, Williams tossed her racket so high that it looked like it might reach the upper stands. Then she treated the DecoTurf court like a trampoline and started jumping up and down. When she danced to the net to shake her vanquished opponent's hand she apologized for getting so excited.

Not only was the fourth-seeded Williams rewarded with another US Open chalice and $1.5 million in prize money, but the winner of this match was guaranteed to reclaim the No. 1 world ranking. Williams held the top spot for 57 weeks beginning in July 2002 while Jankovic was ranked No. 1 for one week last month before fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic took it from her. But Ivanovic was upset in the third round here and the door was open for the ladies' champion.

Williams came out swinging, holding her first serve after an 11-point game that featured tremendous power-play side-to-side action from both players. They remained on serve until Williams broke for 4-2 and then held for 5-3. But instead of serving out the set, Williams promptly lost her serve with a backhand slice into the net. But Jankovic gave the break right back, at one point producing a slide across the court that turned into one of her now-trademark cheerleader splits.

Williams nearly closed the door early in the second set, but failed to capitalize on two break points in the second game and another two in the sixth. Then things got interesting.

Williams squandered four game points and lost her serve to go down 4-3 and Jankovic, who was playing in her first major final, promptly held for 5-3. But instead of forcing the final to go to a deciding set for the first time since Steffi Graf beat Monica Seles in 1995, Jankovic blew three set points in the ninth game and two in the 10th. Williams then held serve for 6-5 with a perfect stab volley winner and won on her second match point after Jankovic had saved the first championship point with a forehand winner. When the 2-hour 4-minute match was completed, Williams had 44 winners to just 15 for Jankovic.

"I'm so excited, I wasn't even going for No. 1," gushed Williams, who defeated Martina Hingis in the final in '99 and her sister in '02. "It's just like an added bonus. I've been working so hard and playing well."

Despite the loss, Jankovic clearly amused herself. During changeovers, she looked around at celebrities and fans dancing in the stands. On more than one occasion, she watched herself on replays, including at 5-3 in the second set when she smacked an overhead right at Williams's knees, looked up to watch it again and laughed out loud.

She may have lost the match but Jankovic clearly won the crowd. Grabbing the microphone from CBS's Mary Carillo, Jankovic thanked everyone from her coach and physical trainer to her mother and that driver whose day she made.

When Williams was presented with a winner's check for $1.5 million, Jankovic again leaned into the microphone and asked, "How much do I get?" (The answer: $750,000) Then, as she was presented with her runner-up trophy, Jankovic good-naturedly muttered, "and I lost my No. 1 ranking. That's not fair."