Serena Williams and Dinara Safina will battle on Saturday for the 2009 Australian Open title.
The winner will be crowned the women’s champion in Melbourne and the new world number one on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
Serena Williams moved one step closer to her tenth career Grand Slam title on Thursday in Melbourne. The second seed advanced to Saturday’s championship match by defeating 2008 Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva in straight sets.
Williams recovered from a slow start in the second set to beat Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. The match was closer than the scoreboard implied as both players kept the level of intensity high throughout the semifinal match.
After losing the opening set, Dementieva raced to a 3-0 lead, but her advantage was short-lived as Williams allowed the fourth seed to win only one more game.
Serena will play the winner of today’s second semifinal match, Dinara Safina, who also advanced to the final in straight sets. Safina, the 2008 Roland Garros finalist, ousted her countrywoman Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6(4).
The winner of Saturday’s championship match will assume the No. 1 ranking on Monday when the latest Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings are released. Serena Williams last held the number one ranking after winning the 2008 US Open and for newcomer Dinara Safina, she could become the 19th player and only the second Russian since the inception of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Computer Ranking System to rise to the top spot.
Considering Dementieva’s recent brilliant form and consistent winning ways it was absolutely essential for Serena to bring all her talent and determination to their highest competitive level. Nose to nose in the first set, Elena blinked and Serena grabbed the lead and the win. For too long a while in the second set Dementieva looked unstoppable and a third set looked inevitable. But then it was time to re-play, once again, that (live) timeless motion picture classic starring Serena Williams: THE COMEBACK! Down 3-0 to Elena and then bang, four games in a row for the lead. Mercy, Serena, mercy.
As of this moment Dinara Safina is behind 3-2 against Vera Zvonareva in the first set of their match. If Dinara fails to win, guess who gets the #1 ranking on the WTA tour come monday?
Poor Elena. I actually felt for her because once she let Serena climb back into the second set, she got whipped. If Serena can play Saturday’s final like the way she played those last few games, neither Dinara or Vera will be able to stop her.
Safina’s losing, although she really is an escape artist. I don’t favor Vera’s chances when she gets down, but Safina is a completely different story.
Speaking of Serena’s No. 1 goal, Wilson, can you believe that she has reached three Grand Slam finals in a row? That is amazing.
I have to agree with you Aaress and Wilson. I knew Elena had to play a very confident game in order to deter Serena. Much like Kuznetsova, if you let Serena back in, her confidence rockets up and she becomes ‘ruthless’. Elena was the favorite against Jelena Jankovic at the UsOpen ’08 and she lost as well. As soon as I saw the first few double faults I knew it wasn’t a good sign. She may get her chance to be No.1, but probably without winning a Slam as well.
Completely agree here with Aaress, there is a certain way Serena plays when she’s on the up and that kind of tennis is close to unstoppable for most of her competitors. Safina will have to be on-form come Saturday.
Interesting note there Aaress, She has been around for so long it is easy to discount the fact that she just made 3 grand slam finals. Flies under the radar, but it is revolving door-No.1 ranking that is stealing the spotlight from the players’ individual achievements. Serena likes comebacks, especially at the Aussie Open. I guess we’ll see if her odd number year omen continues this year again at the Aussie Open.