TNT Sports
Seventh heaven
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Published 29/01/2005 at 07:35 GMT
Seventh seed Serena Williams claims seventh major coming back from a set deficit to edge world number one Lindsay Davenport 2-6 6-3 6-0 at the Australian Open on Saturday. It was Williams' first major victory in two years and her second after her debut wi
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Seventh seed Williams admitted she had been in trouble after wrenching her back as she stretched for a shot early in the first set of a match played under cover at a rain-lashed Melbourne Park.
"She was just killing me in the first set," said Williams after clinching her seventh career grand slam crown. "But I just said to myself 'I'm not going to lose, I'm not going to lose.'
"When my back went, I thought 'Oh no, this is not happening'. But they manipulated it and it went back in and it felt fine after that."
It completed a difficult road back for the 23-year-old American, who had not won a grand slam title since her victory at Wimbledon in 2003 and had seen her ranking plunge during 18 months plagued by injuries and personal tragedy.
Davenport, who had delayed retirement at the end of last year after convincing herself that she could still challenge for major titles, paid tribute to her opponent's fighting spirit.
"I have to congratulate Serena. She's had a tough couple of years and she's come back like the great champion she is," said the 28-year-old. "Everyone should applaud her for coming through what she's gone through."
Williams had looked to be heading for defeat as a confident Davenport raced away with the first set, breaking her opponent twice to forge a 4-1 lead.
Williams, whose mobility was clearly hindered, needed a medical time-out for treatment but it wasn't enough to prevent Davenport from closing out the set.
Yet the match turned against Davenport in the fifth game of the second set after the opening four games had gone with serve.
Williams fought back from 15-40 down to level and then staved off four more break points to hold for a crucial 3-2 lead.
Williams admitted that holding serve in the fifth game had been vital.
"I was thinking to myself when she had all had those break points, 'I'm not losing this game.' I didn't care if my arm fell off because I had to serve so much, I just wasn't going to lose that game," Williams said.
Though both players held serve comfortably in the sixth and seventh games, the momentum had clearly swung Williams way and a disastrous service game from Davenport handed her opponent the intiative in the eighth.
Leading 40-0, Davenport's composure deserted her and she allowed Williams to force deuce. A loose forehand gave Williams break point on advantage and a jittery Davenport then double-faulted to find herself 3-5 down.
That was all the encouragement Williams needed, and she served out the set to love, levelling the match with her eighth ace of the tie.
Scenting blood, Williams then went in for the kill in the third set as Davenport's game disintegrated. She snatched breaks in the first, third and fifth games and then earned two match points with her 12th ace of the match.
Davenport sent a backhand long to hand the title to Williams.
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