Serena Williams wins U.S. Open title in 3 sets

Serena Williams of the United States hugs the championship trophy after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus to win the women's singles final match of the 2012 U.S. Open on September 9, 2012, in New York City. / Mike Stobe/Getty Images for USTA

(AP) NEW YORK - Given all of the setbacks Serena Williams shrugged aside over the years — on tennis courts and, more daunting, away from them — she probably shouldn't have been worried when she stood two points from losing the U.S. Open final.

And yet, she explained afterward, "I really was preparing my runner-up speech."

No need for that. When the going gets toughest, Williams tends to shine.

Finally tested, and even trailing, at Flushing Meadows, Williams suddenly found her composure and her strokes, winning the last four games for a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory over top-ranked Victoria Azarenka on Sunday night, collecting a fourth U.S. Open championship and 15th Grand Slam title overall.

"I never give up. I never, never quit," Williams said after the first three-set U.S. Open women's final since 1995. "I have come back so many times in so many matches."

In other ways, too.

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2012 U.S. Open tennis tournament

She missed eight months after having surgery on her left knee in 2003, the year she had completed a self-styled "Serena Slam" by winning four consecutive major titles. Of more concern: Only a few days after winning Wimbledon in 2010, Williams cut both feet on broken glass while leaving a restaurant in Germany, leading to two operations on her right foot. Then she got clots in her lungs and needed to inject herself with a blood thinner. Those shots led to a pool of blood gathering under her stomach's skin, requiring another procedure in the hospital.

In all, she was off the tour for about 10 months, returning in 2011.

"She was so disgusted at home. She felt like she was useless. That's the way it is with athletes, I guess. She couldn't sit still," said Williams' mother, Oracene Price. "She was getting depressed. A lot to overcome."

Talk about making up for lost time.

Take a look at what Williams has done lately. Back on May 29, she lost to a woman ranked 111th at the French Open, the American's only first-round exit in 49 career Grand Slam tournaments.

"I was miserable after that loss in Paris. I have never been so miserable after a loss," Williams said. "I pulled it together. ... Sometimes, they say, it's good to lose."

Certainly in her case.

Since then, Williams is 26-1, including titles at Wimbledon, the London Olympics and the U.S. Open.

"She's definitely the toughest player, mentally, there is," said Azarenka, who managed only 13 winners, 31 fewer than Williams. "And she's got the power."

Forget what the rankings say. Williams, who was seeded fourth, is dominating the game right now. And she's been dominant, off and on, for more than a decade.

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She won her first major title age 17 at the 1999 U.S. Open. Winning titles 13 years apart at the same Grand Slam tournament represents the longest span of success in the professional era, which began in 1968. Martina Navratilova (Wimbledon, 1978 and 1990) and Chris Evert (French Open, 1974 and 1986) had the longest previous spans of 12 years.

"Yeah, three decades — the `90s, 2000s, 2010s," said Williams, who turns 31 on Sept. 26. "That's kind of cool."

She is the first woman in her 30s to win the U.S. Open since Navratilova in 1987.

Williams also showed a more mature side Sunday, avoiding the sort of flare-ups at officials that got her in trouble during her last two trips to the U.S. Open.

"This is the first year ... in a long time," Williams said, "I haven't lost my cool."

In the 2009 semifinals, Williams was angered by a foot-fault call that resulted in a double-fault, setting up match point for her opponent, Kim Clijsters. Williams launched into a racket-brandishing tirade that resulted in a fine and a Grand Slam probation. While losing to Sam Stosur in last year's final, Williams berated the chair umpire after being docked a point for making noise during a rally.

This time, there was a foot-fault call, too. Williams didn't react at all immediately, finished off that game, then stared down the linesman as she walked to the sideline at the ensuing changeover. He chuckled a bit.

"I'm just happy that she got through this one without any incident and was able to try to forget all that in the past," Price said. "Because I think that was a lot in her mind."

Actually, by then, Williams had bigger problems to worry about.

She double-faulted to get broken in second set's opening game, and got broken again to fall behind 4-1 in a game that featured Azarenka sliding into a running forehand winner and nearly doing a full splits. Even Williams applauded that one.

But when the game ended, Williams slapped her racket against her changeover chair.

That set was the first Williams had lost all tournament; she'd only dropped a total of 19 games through her first six matches.

While Azarenka, a 23-year-old from Belarus, doesn't have the name recognition or bona fides of Williams, she did win the Australian Open in January, and was 32-2 (a .941 winning percentage) on hard courts in 2012. She also hadn't dropped a three-setter all season until Sunday, going 12-0 in matches that went the distance, including victories over defending champion Stosur in the quarterfinals and 2006 winner Maria Sharapova in the semifinals.

As Sunday's deciding set commenced, Price told her daughter from the stands, "Settle down."

Didn't happen right away.

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[74KLM5000]

NoonMyWatch, UNLIKE Lance Armstrong, who'd FAILED drug tests, Serena Williams has PASSED them. Serena Williams also has the most WOMANLY, voluptuous figure on tour. Steroids and the like REDUCE breast tissue and the womanly definition between waist and hips. And both Serena and Venus are devout Jehovah's Witnesses. They believe their bodies are temples and would be the LAST people on tour to take that poison. Perhaps you are thinking of Sesil Karatantcheva, a female Eastern European tennis pro who failed drug tests TWICE and was banned from tennis for two years as a result! And drug-cheat Karatantcheva "beat" a clean, honest Williams sister whose ranking was unfairly lowered because of the alleged "defeat!"

[acebolling]

Shame on you CBS for not broadcasting her victory speech - after she won and got the check, you cut away to EIGHT commercials then came back and signed off - I wanted to hear her thank New York City and her fans.
Boo.

[noonmywatch]

A great match that either solid player could have won. Well done Serena and Vika!

We can only hope the men's final has the same level of skill, intensity, athleticism and excitement.

[dennisall77]

JEEEEZ, anyone ever test her for steroids? Her arms are more massive than most boxers. Women just cannot create that much muscle mass w/o some help... like testosterone

[74KLM5000]

Noonmywatch, UNLIKE Lance Armstrong who FAILED drug tests, Serena Williams has PASSED them. Serena Williams knows how to work out in a GYM, and it is her hard work and consummate SKILL that have won her all those majors! Perhaps you are thinking of Sesil Karatantcheva, an Eastern European pro female tennis player who FAILED steroid tests TWICE and was BANNED from tennis for two years! And, sadly, Karatantcheva had played a clean, honest Williams sister and allegedly "beat" her. The clean, honest William's sister's ranking was lowered as a a result! That was disgusting! Serena Williams is a devout Jehovah's Witness. Both Venus and she view their bodies as temples and would be the LAST people on tour to take unnatural poisons. Btw, Serena Williams has the most womanly, voluptuous figure on tour. Steroids and the like REDUCE breast tissue and the womanly definition between waist and hips. Serena Williams is ALL WOMAN AND a BRILLIANT tennis player. Enjoy watching her tennis skills. That is all.

[BWB2020]

On track to surpass Navratilova, to become the greatest to date, and if she plays next year with the same authority as she has this year, it looks like she will do it with style.

Congratulations to Ms. Williams, and also to her sister, already the greatest sibling tennis players in history.

[ladyang]

You go Girl! Do the damn thing! Do the damn thing!