Serena Williams ended a nine-month title drought with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Madison Keys in an all-American Italian Open final Sunday.
Serena recovered from an early scare to claim her fourth title at Foro Italico and third in four years.
In an all American Italy Open final, Madison Keys took the early advantage as she raced into a 3-1 lead.
But Williams showed her superior class and came back to win the first set tiebreaker 7-5.
Keys showed the fighting spirit that has helped her reach arguably her biggest final to date.
But Serena always looked in control in the second set winning 6-3 to clinch the match in one hour and 24 minutes.
Williams’ previous title came in Cincinnati in August – a month before her attempt at a calendar-year Grand Slam ended with a semifinal loss to Roberta Vinci at the U.S. Open.
”It feels great,” Williams said, pointing out that she’s only played four tournaments since Cincinnati.
”So it’s not like I was playing every week. So that’s kind of how I look at it.
“But it feels great to win a title, especially on clay.”
It’s Williams’ fourth title in Rome and it comes exactly a week before the French Open begins.
”I’m feeling pretty fit. So I’m looking forward to it,” said Williams.
She will be attempting to defend her title at Roland Garros.
But won’t have to answer any questions about a potential calendar-year Grand Slam this year.
”I’m going to definitely go in there and feel more calm and (not) feel stress to have to win.”
The world No.1 had previously won the title in 2002, 2013 and 2014 but was keen to acknowledge Keys in a warm embrace at the finish.
Hingis Wins Her Fourth Rome Title
Martina Hingis now has four titles in Rome after she and partner Sania Mirza claimed the women’s doubles.
The Swiss-Indian top seeds claimed an overall deserved victory over the Russian pair Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
Hingis and Mirza won the first set 6-1 before losing the second 7-5 on the tiebreak.
But a Champions tiebreak followed where the top seeds claimed victory by a 10-3 scoreline.
Hingis had previously won the women’s singles title in 1998 and 2006 and the doubles with Anna Kournikova in 1999. [myad]
