Serena’s slow clay success in Rome

Serena William’s 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Vika Azarenka in the Italian Open final was another question answered to her critics and an affirmation to her fans. Her win in Madrid, so the whispers went, was questionable. It was not real clay, not like the clay, say, in Paris. The altitude of the host city made the balls faster, were more suitable for her game. Let’s see her win on real red clay in Rome before we start talking about her chances in Paris.

Let’s indeed, her fans can now retort, were retorting before the final was even played. This Serena is as dominant as the Italian Open winning one of 2002, the same Serena who won her one and only Roland Garros title. This Serena was not once doubted by her fans. Or, most importantly, by herself.

The growing serenity we have seen from her since her run to last year’s Wimbledon title was ever present. As her game struggled in the first set, with four of the seven games going to deuce, she kept her cool. It was clear she was not in the best mood, her shrugs, her laments the equal of her errors and missed chances. But she did not go over the edge, did not go to the places we have been spared since last year’s French Open disaster, the dark places as thrilling for the spectator as her game on form. It was to the latter she led us, freeing her feet before they were weighed down in the swamp. Keeping it together, she edged out the close games, and as she did she was rewarded for her calmness, her form improved.

The first set went her way 6-1 and she broke early in the second. The games were not so tightly contested, her backhand was on, and she hit 47 winners to take the match 6-1, 6-3.

It was a statement indeed. Yet another title to her collection, her 51st. And a red clay one, too. Slow red clay, at that. Little can be said now against her pedigree on the stuff. And a lot might be said by the lady herself come the second Saturday of Roland Garros should she keep the momentum going and continue what is a quite remarkable reprisal of the Serena of 02/03, and one which may even better the original.