Serena Williams beats battling Jelena Jankovic for fifth Sony Ericsson Open title

What a final! Before saying anything I must congratulate both players, especially Jelena Jankovic for not giving up and making the Sony Ericsson Open final more than worth watching. Still, better tennis was definitely displayed by Serena Williams and the final score 6-1 5-7 6-3 shows it.

This match was so fantastic, that I could write five pages about it, but will try to make it short.

The first set started calmly, with both players holding their first service games without trouble. But from the third game onwards, eight games in a row belonged to Williams, that was up until 6-1 3-0. World No.3 Jankovic rarely shot winners, made many errors, wasn’t moving as well as she can, and her weak serve was killing her. Williams’ serve, on the other hand, worked exceptionally well, she hit winners, and the Serb won only few points on Williams’ serve.

Despite all this, Jankovic didn’t give up! From the fourth game of the second set she started reminding us of how amazing player she is, of how big fighter she is, and of all the reasons why we love her so much. It was all but easy (to make it short), but fighting Jankovic held her serve and broke Williams in the fourth and then again in the tenth (without losing a point!) and twelfth game of the second set. Spectacular comeback! I started to think Jankovic might do the same to Williams, that Williams did last year to Justine Henin.

The third set started badly for Jankovic. She was broken right in the beginning, as she made a double fault on her game point which ruined everything. After that first game she took a medical timeout. Jankovic has been nursing a cold in Miami, and during the match she had problems breathing, plus a feeling of pressure in her head and ears, and in addition to all that, she was coughing all the time. In the second game of the third set she again spoilt some great chances and, all in all, world No.8 Serena reached a 5-0 lead and was serving for the match. But Jankovic still didn’t want to say goodbye. Haha, unbelievable. Jankovic then won three games in a row (made two breaks), and saved five match points on the way, three of which were consecutive on Serena’s serve. JJ was smiling, she herself couldn’t believe it. Serena destroyed her racquet in desperation. After that, Serena had three break and match points, and finally, she used the third one, that was her eighth match point, and defeated the ever-smiling Jankovic.

Overall, Serena Williams’ tennis was much more solid, and during the whole match Jankovic was just trying to stay there. Jankovic, however, has the potential to play better, but it hasn’t happened today. Still, fourth-seeded Jankovic entertained the crowd with her smiles, spectacular defense and tranquility, and definitely made eighth-seeded Williams appreciate the victory even more.

Losing the final, Jankovic lost her chance to overtake compatriot Ana Ivanovic and rise to a new career-high of No.2. She also enabled Williams to tie their head-to-head record at 3-3.

Serena Williams proved that Sony Ericsson Open is her tournament, defending her title in Miami and winning it for the fifth time in her career. Being the titlist, the American has earned $590,000 and 500 points.