Serena Williams has won back-to-back Grand Slam titles for the first time since she completed a “Serena Slam” and after major setbacks the past two years, she is talking about smashing some records.
Williams outlasted world no.1 Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 late Sunday to win her fourth US Open crown, becoming its second-oldest Open-era winner at age 30, and a 15th Grand Slam title, seven shy of Steffi Graf’s all-time record.
“Even though I’m 30, I feel so young and I’ve never felt as fit and more excited and more hungry,” Williams said.
“Even with this win like I’m sitting here so excited still to play the next Grand Slam and see what I can do. I love that feeling. I feel like it’s overdue.”
Williams took her third major title in as many months after Wimbledon in July and Olympic gold last month on the same All England Club grass courts.
“It’s so cool. I’m so excited,” she said.
“To cap off the Olympics and then to come from the gold medal to the US Open is unforgettable.”
Williams won her first back-to-back Slam crowns since she captured four in a row – the “Serena Slam” – from the 2002 French Open through the 2003 Australian Open.
And she said if she had not missed 10 Slams with injury, she might have won five more by now.
“Yeah, I think so, but there’s nothing I can do about that,” she said.
Williams has won multiple Grand Slams in a season for the third time in four years, her 2010 and 2009 doubles coming at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
Now Graf’s mark seems reachable.
“I never thought I would even come close to breaking those records but if I can play consistently and play some more matches at Wimbledon, then it will be awesome,” she said.
“If I could win two a year it would be great. We’ll see. I will think about my legacy when I’m done. I have so much more I want to create for the history.”
There was a time not so long ago when Williams wondered if she might ever play again, much less recapture her form.
Williams battled back from a right foot injury that kept her from playing in the 2010 US Open and battled blood clots last year that jeopardised more than her career.
She fought back into form earlier this year but crashed out of the French Open with a first-round loss to Virginie Razzano, her worst-ever Grand Slam performance and her only 2012 loss in 50 matches where she won the first set.
“I have never been so miserable after a loss,” Williams said.
“I felt like I lost a little confidence after that. But finally I pulled it together.
“Champions are defined not by wins but by how they can recover when they fall.
“I’ve fallen several times. Each time I just get up and I dust myself off and I pray and I’m able to get back to the level that I want to be on.
“So, I feel really awesome I’ve been able to do that.”
Since the upset to Razzano, Williams has gone 26-1 with Wimbledon and US Open titles and an Olympic gold medal.
Past 15 US Open women champs
2012 - Serena Williams
2011 - Samantha Stosur
2010 - Kim Clijsters
2009 - Kim Clijsters
2008 - Serena Williams
2007 - Justine Henin
2006 - Maria Sharapova
2005 - Kim Clijsters
2004 - Svetlana Kuznetsova
2003 - Justine Henin
2002 - Serena Williams
2001 - Venus Williams
2000 - Venus Williams
1999 - Serena Williams
1998 - Lindsay Davenport