Australian Open Gets Big Story

The Australian Open often the least watched, least appreciated and least understood of the Grand Slams may have the 2007 tennis season's first big story. I don't mean to put the Australian down, but how many times have even the most avid tennis fans found themselves arguing who the greatest Australian Open champion was? How many can tell you the surface (rebound ace) the Australian is currently played on? How many know Rod laver for which stadium court is named? This year the Australian had (as it often does) not only great tennis, but a great story. This year a former champion, Serena Williams captured her 3^rd Australian Title. Yes, that is Serena Williams.

Williams entered the tournament ranked 81^st in the world. She was unseeded having won the title here in 2004. She played only four tournaments last year. She has been sideline by both injury and tragedy. Yetunde Price, her sister, whom she dedicated this title to, was brutally murdered in 2003. Yet on Saturday, January 27, 2007 under the closed dome over Rod Laver court Serena played what Marie Carrillo called her best match ever. She dispatched the world's number one female and top seed Maria Sharapova, in straight sets (6-1, 6-2). It took just an hour and three minutes.

Serena is the first unseeded female to win the Australian open since in 1978. She did it with a steeling focus, powerful ground strokes and a service game that was near perfect. Serena began the match easily holding serve 40-15. She ended it with a sizzling winner to complete a comeback for the ages. Williams threw her racquet into the air before crumpling to the ground in celebration.

Sharapova was never ever in it. She had struggled with her service game throughout the tournament, but the top seed was able to move through the draw relying on powerful ground strokes, exceptional court coverage and inferior opponents. Sharapova stumbled out the gate against Frenchwoman Camille Pin in the first round. Pin was two points from victory, but could not serve out the match. Sharapova survived. She met only one top ten player, Kim Clisters (4), whom she beat in straight sets in the semis. Accepting the second place trophy, Sharapova said of Serena, "You can never underestimate her as an opponent, and I don't think many of you expected her to be in the final, but I definitely did." She went on to say, "...and of course I look forward to playing her many more times, and winning a few, I hope." Tennis fans hope Sharapova gets her wish.

Serena proved her doubters wrong, as she is often want to do. She was a 34-1 shot to win. "I think I get the greatest satisfaction just of holding up the Grand Slam trophy and proving everyone wrong; I just love that," Williams said. "Most of all I would like to dedicate this victory to my sister who is not here," Williams told the crowd. "Her name is Yetunde, and I just love her so much."

I image Serena, now ranked 14^th in the world, will study the men's final. She reportedly spent a great deal of the tournament studying Fernando Gonzalez, the young upstart who ousted Rafael Nadal. She was taken by the way Nadal has been dominating opponents. I would image the rest of the women's field will be studying film of Serena.