Super Serena Completes Perfect Comeback
April 3, 2004
Super Serena Completes Perfect Comeback
MIAMI, FL - It's highly unlikely Serena Williams could have asked for a better
comeback script. Six matches, six weeks. Three straight Miami titles.
Thirteen-match win streak. Unbeaten since Roland Garros last June.
Serena's 50-minute, 61 61 dissection of No.5 seed Elena Dementieva on
Saturday completed an astonishing return to the WTA Tour for the 22-year-old.
Sidelined since winning Wimbledon last July, having undergone knee surgery in
August, Williams dropped just one set en route to victory at Crandon Park,
her 24th career singles title.
Williams became only the second woman ever to win three consecutive Miami
crowns in the 20-year history of the event
(the first being Steffi Graf in 1994-1996).
"I feel really happy... just really excited," said Williams. "I'm real happy
that I was able to come back and take a title. It's great."
Serena became only the second big-name player in the past decade to come back
after an extended break from the Tour and taste immediate title success.
Monica Seles returned to competition at the 1995 Canadian Open after her
28-month break and dropped just 14 games en route to the title.
"I have a much better idea as to where I am today," said Williams of her game
a fortnight into her comeback. "Two weeks ago I was really nervous to come
out here and play for the first time in eight months. I'm just thinking,
'Gosh, I'm really nervous. I want to get out.' But at the same time I was
really, really anxious to come back and get out here."
Dementieva, who admitted to a touch of tiredness in Saturday's championship
match, was nonetheless pleased with her stellar results this past fortnight,
which included a quarterfinal win over Serena's older Venus, also a
three-time Miami winner. Dementieva was aiming to become only the fifth woman
to beat both Williams sisters in the same event.
"Maybe I didn't play my best today," said Dementieva. "But I'm glad I lost so
easy because now I'm going to work better on my serve, I'm going to improve
my game.
"She's a great player. (It's) just amazing how well she played after this
(long) break."
While the winners tally was fairly even (12 for Williams, 11 for Dementieva),
the two most telling statistics were unforced errors (Dementieva's 23 to
Williams's 14) and Dementieva's second serve success rate. The Russian won an
abysmal five percent (or 1 of 19) points on her ever-suspect second delivery,
with Williams repeatedly punishing the weak and short serves.
"I realise if I want to win a tournament, even a Grand Slam, I have to be
stronger," observed Dementieva. "I have to play better in a final and not
like today. I don't need to be tired, in this final round, the most important
moment of the tournament."
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---禪心已作沾泥絮，莫向春風舞鷓鴣---
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