Serena Williams has lifted their fourth US Open title with an enthralling three-set triumph over world number one Victoria Azarenka at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.
The fourth-seeded American was victorious 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 over the Belarussian who won the Australian Open earlier in the year.
The victory was Williams’ 15th major triumph and full of mental strength, after letting Azarenka back into the match before the Belarussian served for the championship in the final set.
“I was preparing my runners-up speech,” Williams told reporters afterwards.
Williams has bounced back emphatically since losing in the first round at the French Open, with a record of 26-1 and she said she’d bounced back well.
“I don’t think about the downs too much. I hope I never think about them as my life continues. But I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall,” she said.
“I have fallen several times. Each time I just get up and I dust myself off and I pray and I’m able to do better or I’m able to get back to the level that I want to be on.”
Meanwhile, Azarenka was left to lament her missed opportunity.
“It could have gone my way, probably yes, but it didn’t,” Azarenka said.
“And it really, really hurts and those emotions come out and you feel sad, but it’s time to realize what happened today. You know, it was a great match. It was close but not for me.”