Following a year of intense injury, ranging from pulmonary blood clotting to multiple foot surgeries, 13-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams returned to the WTA spotlight in August, achieving her first tournament title since her return to the game after nearly a year on the sidelines. Williams defeated ninth-ranked Marion Bartoli of France, with a 7-5, 6-1 victory in the Bank of the West Classic final in Stanford, California.
Serena made her way from a two break deficit in the first rally to a commanding end. The second rally saw Williams get ahead 5-0, rendering the final outcome somewhat predictable according to pundits.
The match's outcome demonstrated a stark turnaround from Bartoli's earlier record against Williams, in which Bartoli trounced Williams at Wimbledon's fourth round earlier this year. Bartoli achieved her victory against the previously globally no. 1 ranked Williams in straight sets at Wimbledon. William's victory in Stanford was her first appearance in the finals since the 2010 All England Club, which she won.
William's victory was the first time in three years in which an American woman won in her home country, the previous winner being herself in the 2008 US Open in New York. The victory will likely push Williams from a ranking of 169 to no.28 prior to the US Open, as she entered the tournament unseeded.
Serena easily fought her way to the finals, trouncing Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. Her performance against Bartoli is sure to go down in the tennis history books as a demonstration of her amazing abilities as a tennis player. Bartoli advanced to the finals when Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova withdrew in the semifinal due to a strained abdominal.
However, Bartoli faced injuries of her own on Sunday. Her performance was hampered by a swollen bruise in the middle of her right hand, which she said loosened her grip, although she did mention that it did not cost her the game.
Williams has not only returned, but she is ready to take on the hard-court series this summer. She says her stamina is back and her game continues to improve daily, which is likely to strike fear into her opponents in upcoming tennis tournaments. It's clear from that performance that despite a defeat in the US Open tennis fans should be eagerly awaiting her next matches.
Serena made her way from a two break deficit in the first rally to a commanding end. The second rally saw Williams get ahead 5-0, rendering the final outcome somewhat predictable according to pundits.
The match's outcome demonstrated a stark turnaround from Bartoli's earlier record against Williams, in which Bartoli trounced Williams at Wimbledon's fourth round earlier this year. Bartoli achieved her victory against the previously globally no. 1 ranked Williams in straight sets at Wimbledon. William's victory in Stanford was her first appearance in the finals since the 2010 All England Club, which she won.
William's victory was the first time in three years in which an American woman won in her home country, the previous winner being herself in the 2008 US Open in New York. The victory will likely push Williams from a ranking of 169 to no.28 prior to the US Open, as she entered the tournament unseeded.
Serena easily fought her way to the finals, trouncing Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. Her performance against Bartoli is sure to go down in the tennis history books as a demonstration of her amazing abilities as a tennis player. Bartoli advanced to the finals when Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova withdrew in the semifinal due to a strained abdominal.
However, Bartoli faced injuries of her own on Sunday. Her performance was hampered by a swollen bruise in the middle of her right hand, which she said loosened her grip, although she did mention that it did not cost her the game.
Williams has not only returned, but she is ready to take on the hard-court series this summer. She says her stamina is back and her game continues to improve daily, which is likely to strike fear into her opponents in upcoming tennis tournaments. It's clear from that performance that despite a defeat in the US Open tennis fans should be eagerly awaiting her next matches.
About the Author:
John Casson is a contributing writer for the Imagine Sports Network which provides baseball, soccer, and tennis news. He has written about multiple sports and has followed tennis tournaments for many years and he has posted on tennis blogs as well as tennis forums.
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