The evidence is clear … 11 grand slam titles, rivaling tennis legends … the highest earning female athlete, ever … current ranking of world No. 1 (after personal and physical issues caused a dramatic departure from the rankings at one point) … and now, a spot in the final of this year’s first grand slam, the Australian Open — both doubles and singles. Not surprising, considering her awe-inspiring record and ranking; but the road to earning a spot in this year’s AO final was far from easy. In fact, the final stretch was downright hard.
Serena began the tournament in champion form. She was powering through her opponents with her huge serve and her thunderous ground strokes, barely allowing them a game won edgewise. From round one, clean up to the fourth, Serena was simply unstoppable. The media praised her relentlessly. Then, the quarter final … that fateful quarter against one Victoria Azarenka, who had Serena on the ropes at the AO this time last year until the Belarusian fell ill and had to retire — on top. Azarenka had also beaten the then world No. 2 in a key Miami tournament that same year. Serena won the AO championship, then met with the Belarusian again at Wimbledon, another grand slam, and destroyed her. She was on a mission then that had little to do with avenging the Miami loss, though; Wimbledon belongs to the Williamses and nothing would stand in the way of keeping the title in the family.
This time, though, Azarenka came out of the gates ready for the defending champ. She had a score to settle and what better place to do it than the Australian Open quarter final. Firmly positioned in the top 10 elite, Azarenka is certainly no pushover. In fact, she can match power and tactics with some of the biggest, smartest hitters on the tour — apparently including Serena. For the first set and a half, she hit Serena off the court. Error after error, missed first serve after missed first serve, Serena simply couldn’t hang on. Supporters were nervous after the first set, which she lost 6-4, but we’ve seen her emerge from worse, especially at an all-important grand slam. The second set, however, evoked panic; where had our champion gone? She was down one set and the score line was 4-0, in Azarenka’s favor. A shocker to say the least. Fans prepared for disappointment, commentators looked for excuses to explain the mauling away, and Serena herself was mentally on a plane back home. She was disturbingly lethargic. Then enters the champion’s heart.
Suddenly, the blood began pumping. She went for broke. Azarenka wouldn’t be able to stop her. Down a set and 0-4, Serena rallied back, took the second set in a tie-break, then played a near flawless third, only committing 3 unforced errors the entire set. Her opponent, who was only two games away from reaching the semis of a grand slam for the first time, stunned. The serves and returns of serve were coming at Azarenka like missiles, at one point causing her to stand and smile in amazement. The reclaimed ferocity of Serena’s spirit coupled with the bludgeoning power of her swings were too much for the Belarusian. Serena won the match … enough tape on her body for mummification … but, with enough determination in her heart for the victory. One of the greatest comebacks of her career. She breathed a sigh of relief as opposed to shouting her signature, “c’mon.” She shook hands stoically, just grateful to advance to the semifinals.
That same Serena showed up in the next match, the semifinal, against Chinese opponent Li Na (who earlier had dismantled Venus in an impressive comeback). She was broken spirited and physically worn. Li, though, had much to prove; it was the first time a Chinese player would’ve made the top 10 and, even more a reason to fight, it was the first time a Chinese player had made it to the semis in any grand slam tournament (a mirror image had occurred on the other side of the draw with Chinese player Zheng Jie meeting up with Serena’s rival, Justin Henin; the perfect storm was brewing). And fight, Li did. She had Serena on the ropes for much of the match, once she shook her nervousness. Serena was losing break opportunity after break opportunity, and giving up set and match points that could have quickly taken her out of her misery. Her game was too off, her spirit was seemingly too broken, but her heart … unflappable. A tiebreak decided the first set; in it Serena managed to dominate and win. The second set was more of the same: Serena on the ropes, barely holding her serve and having difficulty breaking Li’s. Near the end of that hard fought and mostly silent set — the Chinese players are typically silent and Serena was seemingly too wilted and worn down to emote, Serena could finally see the finish line. It was 6-5, Serena, but she couldn’t break Li. She managed to claw her way, through a flurry of unforced errors and break points on her serve, to force a tie-break. Enter, again, the champion’s heart.
She took the tie-break 6-2, finishing off with a booming ace, which she had struggled to find for much of the match. She came alive. The fist pumps commenced as she screamed, “c’mon” loudly enough for it to reverberate throughout the grounds. She wanted it … in her heart. When it’s needed most, it just comes — to champions, that is. She made it, yet again, to the final of a grand slam — a mere dream for most players, a right for those with Champion’s hearts. She will face her recently returned arch rival, Justine Henin, a capable opponent and yet a reason to believe. And, oh yeah, along with her sister, she just became doubles champion for the tournament, which she had been playing simultaneously, injury-ridden, but undenied.
–gerald radford
