Work pays off as Serena on cloud nine

SERENA WILLIAMS earned her ninth grand slam title by winning the US Open final then claimed she was the hardest working woman in tennis.

The fourth-seeded American, who did not drop a set in the tournament, persevered through a tough second set to secure her first Flushing Meadows crown in six years with a 6-4 7-5 victory over second-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic.

Williams, who won US Open titles in 1999 and 2002, won a final that was originally scheduled for Saturday but had to be pushed back a day because of heavy rain and wind from tropical storm Hanna.

“I’m so excited,” Williams said. “I can’t even describe it. Usually after a grand slam I feel like I still have another match to play, but I don’t really feel that way today.

“I feel like it’s done and it’s all over, and I’m so excited. I think it showed on the court.”

Not only did she again hoist the trophy and claim $1.5million (1.8m) in prize money, Williams also won her first Grand Slam since the Australian Open in 2007 and will take over the top spot in the world rankings from Ana Ivanovic.

“I’ve been working so hard all year,” Williams said.

“It’s all paying off. I felt like I’ve been working the hardest, I should win.”

The 26-year-old won the first set at a canter, putting the pressure on Jankovic with booming groundstrokes and showing her experience in grand slam finals.

Jankovic, playing in her first final, took a while to get in the groove.

“Serena was a little bit better on the important points,” Jankovic said. “I had my chances the first set, and the second set as well, and I just (had) some unlucky points.

“I should have won them, but I didn’t. I let my opportunities slip away.

“But overall, I was happy that I made it to the final, especially (because) I struggled a lot this year.

“I had a lot of injuries and all these problems, and I really worked hard to be here on this stage.”

The Serbian came back strongly in the second by breaking Williams and then holding serve to make it 5-3. But that was as good as it got for Jankovic.

Williams fended off three set points to force Jankovic to serve it out for the set, which she could not do.

After seeing her opponent battle back from 0-40 in the previous game, Jankovic lost the first three points on serve before forcing four deuces, but ultimately allowed Williams to break back and make it 5-5.

Williams then held and broke Jankovic to secure the win, heralding her victory by tossing her racket in the air and leaping around the court to show her unbridled joy.

That gave Williams her ninth grand slam title — the third woman in the open era to achieve such a feat — and she immediately turned her attention to number 10.

“This is cool because I’m at number nine,” she said. “I’m knocking at the door of double digits.

“I have the game to do it. I obviously play well in Australia, and that’s coming up soon, so maybe there. I have to win another French Open and I love Wimbledon.

“I love winning grand slams, so I look forward to it.”