New York: 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 women's final on Sunday.
Williams, who swept away Russian Dinara Safina 6-3 6-2 in the semi-finals, fended off spectacular retrieving by Jankovic with her power game to clinch a third US Open crown but her first here since 2002.
"I'm so excited," a beaming Williams said in a courtside interview. "It is that special because I've been working so hard. And I wasn't even going for number one and it's just like an added bonus."
On a warm night at Flushing Meadows, the fourth seed won a long opening service game but Jankovic, in her first grand slam final, held serve and broke to lead 2-1 when Williams netted a backhand.
The American then stepped up a gear, using her greater power to win four straight games to lead 5-2.
Broke back
Jankovic held and broke back in the ninth game when her opponent netted a backhand but Williams broke for a third time to wrap up the opening set when the Serbian pushed a forehand long.
Williams held her opening serve in the second set but a scrambling Jankovic saved two break points in the next to stay on level terms.
The pair shared a series of exhausting rallies as they stayed on serve to 3-3, although Jankovic had to save another two break points to keep on terms.
Jankovic netted a forehand pass to hand Williams two break points in the sixth game but the Serbian saved both, before breaking to lead 4-3 when Williams netted a drop shot.
The Serbian held for 5-3 and when Williams trailed 0-40, she had three set points but the American saved them all before forging ahead 0-40 on the Jankovic serve.
In a marathon 10th game, Jankovic saved five break points and forced a fourth set point, only to double-fault and then lose her serve before Williams held to lead 6-5.
Jankovic saved one match point with a heavy forehand but Williams forced another and then clinched her third US Open title with a crunching backhand winner before leaping for joy.
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