There was a point in the second game of her semifinal on Friday when Serena Williams thought she had struck a winner and yelled, “C’mon!” while the ball was still in play. Sara Errani extended her racket on the backhand side, kept the rally going one more shot until Williams knocked an inside-out forehand winner.
The chair umpire, Marija Cicak, did not call hindrance on Williams, which is exactly what happened with a different, more aggressive umpire last year in a final against Sam Stosur. There was no need for a confrontation this time, no tantrum. What followed was only brutal, one-sided tennis. Williams went on to cruise in 64 minutes, 6-1, 6-2, a steamship straight on course for harbor.
If something weird or self-destructive is going to happen to Williams at this 2012 U.S. Open, which always seems to occur here, it better arrive in a hurry. She is running out of melodrama time.
“Hey, it’s not done yet,” Williams warned. “I did grunt once today and thought, ‘God, I hope I don’t lose the point.’ My goal this year was not to get in any fights, but something happens, then . . . I try to count to 10.
Hopefully I can make it.
“I mean, I’m a really good sportsman. I think I’m really nice. I talk to everybody in the locker room.”
There is only the final Saturday night against Victoria Azarenka, one last test of her temper. Azarenka has a 1-9 career record against Williams and has dropped seven straight in those matchups over the last three years. She would appear to own only a slightly better chance of beating Williams than Errani did, which was approximately 0%.
“I definitely need to find something to surprise her tomorrow,” Azarenka said.
She might try calling a foot fault.
Give the tennis gods credit for their sense of humor, pairing Williams and Errani at Ashe Stadium in a semi. There could not possibly have been a greater contrast in power, in size and in serving ability. While Williams ripped three aces in the fourth game of the second set, Errani was dumping 68-mph floaters into the box and did not serve a single ace in the entire tournament. Williams finished with 38 winners, while Errani managed six.
“I tried the first set to be more on the defense, a bit more far away, play high balls,” Errani said. “That was not so good, so I changed. I was a bit more aggressive. To me, she’s incredible. When she plays like this, she’s the best player in the world. Serena is another level.”
Through it all, right up until she won match point with her ninth ace, Serena was serene. She maintained her composure and her game face throughout. This calm march through the flawed female field — Williams has not dropped a set and lost only 19 games in six matches — has teetered on tedium.
We could use an over-eager lines judge or chair umpire right about now to stir things up, make it interesting. If nobody rankles her soon, Williams may walk away with two awards — her fifth U.S. Open championship chalice and the newly established good sportsmanship trophy. “I’m American, guys, the last one standing,” she reminded the crowd after the win, exhorting the fans to cheer for her against Azarenka.
She’s right about that. There isn’t another American tennis player in sight. Williams is single-handedly carrying this tournament for CBS now, Atlas holding up an HD television set. If she weren’t doing this, she said, there is only one other vocation that would interest her. “I decided the other day I’d be a rock star, though I don’t have a good voice,” she said. “I’m great on stage.”
