Serena on the Today Show

Serena to play charity event in Baltimore

Serena will headline the PNC Tennis Classic Feature Match at the 1st Mariner Arena on Friday, November 21 at 7 p.m., tournament founder Pam Shriver announced today. More participating players will be announced in the coming weeks.

The 2008 Tennis Classic, the area’s premier charitable sporting event, will be celebrate its 23rd anniversary in Baltimore thanks to the support of PNC Bank, The Baltimore Sun and other sponsors and supporters. Net proceeds from the Tennis Classic are distributed to children’s charities under the guidance of the Baltimore Community Foundation. Since 1986, over $4 million has been raised and distributed to many of the area’s needy non-profits.

"We are thrilled that Serena has made playing in Baltimore part of her year end plans," tournament chairman and founder Shriver said. "To be showcasing the talents of one of the greatest tennis players of all time is like a dream come true. Serena, now the world’s No. 1 with nine Grand Slam titles and a second Olympic gold medal in Beijing, is an icon on and off the court that transcends the world of sports. The fans of Baltimore should expect a great show and hosting the event on a Friday night will only help to enhance the excitement."

Tickets are on sale now though all Ticketmaster outlets including the 1st Mariner Arena, or by calling Ticketmaster Phonecharge at 410-547-SEAT (7328). Sponsorship and ticket information can be obtained by calling the Tournament Office at (410) 296-2929 or via the web at http://www.pnctennisclassic.org/.

The look of a Champion

U.S. Open tennis champion Serena Williams poses with her trophy in Times Square in New York City.

Serena helps give US Open a huge ratings boost

Women's final draws best TV rating since '02

Serena Williams' win over Jelena Jankovic on Sunday, pushed back a day because of rain, earned a 4.3 overnight rating and a 7 share on CBS, the network said Monday. That's up 65 percent from the 2.6/5 last year when Justine Henin beat Svetlana Kuznetsova. It's the highest rating since an all-Williams final in 2002, when Serena's victory over Venus drew a 7.2/13.

The rating is the percentage watching a program among homes with televisions, and the share is the percentage tuned into the broadcast among those households with TVs on at the time. Overnight ratings measure the country's largest markets.

A night to remember: Serena returns to #1

Order restored and mission accomplished!

(A few things Serena accomplished by winning the 2008 US Open):

• Regained the #1 position in Women's Tennis
• Became just the sixth woman in the Open Era to win nine or more Grand Slam singles titles, joining Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles
• Beat three players who she suffered losses to this season: (Venus Williams - Wimbledon, Dinara Safina - Berlin and Jelena Jankovic - Australian Open)
• Set record for longest gap between stints at #1 for any player; was last #1 August 2003
• Now leads Head-to-Head against Jelena Jankovic: 4-3
• Claimed title WITHOUT dropping a set
• Has now overtaken Martina Navratilova for the #3 spot on the WTA Tour's All-Time Prize Money list
  

Congratulations Serena on your 3rd US Open Title!

Serena: US Open Champion and World #1

Serena wins ninth Slam in US Open thriller

American Serena Williams won her ninth Grand Slam title by beating tenacious Serbian Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 in a high-quality US Open final.

Displaying the talent and tenacity that helped her dominate tennis earlier in the decade, Williams outlasted Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 Sunday night in a thrill-a-minute match chock full of marvelous strokes and momentum swings to win her third U.S. Open championship and ninth Grand Slam title. And there was this "added bonus," as Williams termed it: She returns to No. 1 in the rankings. As the women met at the net afterward, Williams felt compelled to say to Jankovic, "I'm sorry I got so excited."

No apology necessary. Four times a single point from heading to a third set, Williams was simply relentless. She took the final four games and took the title without dropping a set. The closest she came to losing one? In the quarterfinals, when she beat older sister Venus in two tiebreakers. On this night, Venus was in the guest box, cheering for Kid Sis. "Serena was a better player tonight," Jankovic said. "She was just too good tonight."

It was Williams' first triumph at Flushing Meadows since 2002, and it guaranteed that the American will lead the rankings Monday for the first time since August 2003 - the longest gap between stints at No. 1 for a woman.

Jankovic was in that spot for one week last month and would have returned there by winning a title match that was postponed from Saturday night because of Tropical Storm Hanna. As good as the second-seeded Jankovic is at retrieving balls and extending points, Williams can do that with the best of them, too, leading to point after point lasting more than a dozen shots as both women scurried around Arthur Ashe Stadium, their sneakers squeaking loudly.

Both sent close-range shots directly at the other. But the difference in strength was clear: Repeatedly after those lengthy exchanges, Jankovic was left shaking her racket hand, trying to lessen the sting. On the match's very first point, Williams drove a backhand winner with such force, such ferocity, that she sent one of her earrings flying. The fourth-seeded Williams finished with 44 winners, 29 more than Jankovic, and smacked serves at up to 120 mph, a 14 mph edge over her opponent's fastest.
The finish was fantastic. Williams somehow prolonged the second set after falling behind love-40 while serving and trailing 5-3.

Those three break points were set points for Jankovic, and Williams deleted each one, with a backhand winner, an overhead winner and then by forcing an errant backhand on a 10-stroke point. A 98 mph service winner left a frustrated Jankovic tossing her racket up in the air like a majorette's baton. When she sailed the next return long, Williams was at 5-4.

The next game was filled with as much drama as many a match.
Jankovic earned her fourth set point with an ace, then blew it with a double fault. Williams earned six break points and frittered away five. On No. 6, they produced a spectacular 22-stroke point that Williams ended with a forehand passing shot down the line.

As quickly as it appeared things were getting away from Williams, she regained the lead. The next game featured more brilliant play by both, including a 24-stroke exchange Jankovic won with a forehand, and an 11-stroke point Williams took with a perfect stab volley.

Now up 6-5, four points from the title, Williams flexed her arm muscles and gritted her teeth. Four points from defeat, Jankovic went up to the bouncing ball and kicked it. Serving to stay in it, Jankovic wasted a game point with a double-fault. Then she dropped a groundstroke into the net, presenting Williams with second match point. Williams converted, ending a 14-stroke point with a backhand winner. Her father climbed out of his second-row seat to help celebrate, while her mother and Venus applauded in the guest box.

US Open Final: Serena vs. Jelena postponed

Saturday night’s Women’s Singles Final (Williams vs. Jankovic) has been cancelled and rescheduled for Sunday at 9p.m. in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The final was scheduled for Saturday night but was postponed to Sunday after the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna dumped rain and strong winds on the New York area. It's the first time since 1974 that the U.S. Open women's championship match was not played on a Saturday. That year, Billie Jean King beat Evonne Goolagong on Monday; Goolagong's semifinal had been suspended because of rain on Friday and wasn't completed until Sunday.

Final Bound: A picture is worth a thousand words

US Open: FINAL (Saturday; pending weather)

FINAL
Serena Williams (USA)[4] vs Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[2]

Head-to-Head 3-3

Arthur Ashe Stadium Court (7pm EST)

US Open on CBS Network

The final is scheduled for Saturday night, but forecasts calling for rain much of the day prompted tournament organizers to announce contingency plans that could include postponing the match until Sunday.

They have something in "Common"

Two-time Grammy Award winning Rap Artist (and rumored boyfriend), Common, hits the practice courts with 8 time Grand Slam (singles) winner, Serena Williams.

Serena stomps Safina; advances to US Open Final

Serena has defeated Dinara Safina, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the US Open Final!

Serena qualifies for season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships

Serena Williams has officially qualified for the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha. The world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams from the 2008 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season will compete for the Championships title and a share of the record prize money of $4.45 million. 2001 champion Williams joins previously qualified Serbs Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic in the singles line-up.

“I am delighted to have qualified again for the Sony Ericsson Championships,” said Serena Williams in a statement released by the Tour. “It’s always an honor to play at the year-end Championships, and I’m looking forward to playing in Doha where I can hopefully show my best tennis.” This season, the 26-year-old American claimed three singles titles at the Canara Bank Bangalore Open in Bangalore, the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami and the Family Circle Cup in Charleston. She was runner-up at Wimbledon, where she fell to sister Venus in her 11th career Grand Slam singles final.

The Sony Ericsson Championships is scheduled to take place at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, November 4-9, 2008.

US Open: Semifinal Friday

Semifinal
Serena Williams (USA)[4] vs Dinara Safina (RUS)[6]

Serena leads Head-to-Head 3-1

3rd Match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court
1st Match starts at 12pm EST

(Serena and Dinara: Not before 3:30pm EST)

US Open on CBS Network

Wow! What a match!

This encounter was truly worthy of a Final!

Serena slams Venus; advances to Semis

WOW! Serena Williams fought like a bulldog and stayed mentally tough throughout her US Open quarterfinal showdown with sister Venus. In a U.S. Open quarterfinal that was fit for a final, Serena came back in each set to win 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7) Wednesday night and break a tie in their head-to-head series. Serena trailed 5-3 in both sets. She faced set points in both, including eight in the second. But she advanced to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2002, the year she beat Venus in the title match for her second U.S. Open championship.

It was the siblings’ 17th meeting as professionals, and Serena leads 9-8. That includes 11 matches at Grand Slam tournaments, where Serena leads 6-5. She also has the edge in major championships, 8-7, and only she can add to that total this weekend. Venus had all sorts of chances to take control, but in the end, as both women's play reached a very high level, it was Serena who pulled through. In the second tiebreak, Venus had four set points -- and Serena saved them all. Then, when Serena earned her first match point, nearly 2½ hours into the match, she converted it, when Venus ended an 11-stroke exchange by missing a forehand. Serena will now meet No. 6 Dinara Safina in the semifinals.

US Open: Quarterfinal SISTER Showdown!

Quarterfinal

Serena Williams (USA)[4] vs Venus Williams (USA)[7]
Head-to-Head 8-8
(Featured Night Match)
Arthur Ashe Stadium Court (7pm EST)

US Open on USA Network

Serena defeats Severine; advances to Quarterfinal

Now comes a challenge for Venus and Serena at the U.S. Open: a match against each other. Except unlike many of their all-in-the-family faceoffs at Grand Slam tournaments, including at Wimbledon in July, this Williams vs. Williams showdown will not decide the championship.

Both advanced through the fourth round quite easily Monday. The No. 7-seeded Venus dismissed No. 9 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 6-3, before No. 4 Serena dispatched wild-card entrant Severine Bremond of France 6-2, 6-2 at night.

“Even the semis would have been better than the quarterfinals, but at least one of us will make it to the semis,” Serena told the crowd during an on-court interview. “I’ve got probably the toughest match of the tournament coming up next, so I’ve got to be ready.” The sisters’ matchup Wednesday will be a tiebreaker of sorts.

They’ve played 16 times as professionals, with each winning eight. That includes 10 meetings at major tournaments, with each winning five. The most recent was when Venus beat Serena for the title at the All England Club, the seventh all-Williams Grand Slam final. “I would love to have a winning record,” Venus said. “I have a chance.”

But because of the luck of the pre-tournament draw, they were placed in the same portion of the bracket—much to the disappointment of them, U.S. Open organizers and TV types.

“The best part is that we’re still here,” Venus said, “going stronger than ever, in my opinion.” That is certainly true: Venus has lost a total of 15 games through four matches at Flushing Meadows, while Serena has lost 14.

Of the eight women left in the tournament, only two have won a Grand Slam title: Serena leads all active players with eight, and Venus is right behind with seven. They won every U.S. Open women’s singles championship from 1999 to 2002, meeting in the finals the last two years in that span. Since then, though, Serena hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals here, and Venus has only reached one semifinal.