Serena poised for 10th Slam title
MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams has been there before — three times in fact. The closest Dinara Safina has been was watching her brother celebrate his title.
On the line Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena will be the Australian Open championship — potentially Williams' fourth here and 10th Grand Slam title. It would be the first for the 22-year-Safina after she lost the French Open final last year to Ana Ivanovic.
The No. 1 ranking will also be decided.
While Williams has memories of hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup three times, Safina can only recall seeing her brother, Marat Safin, win the men's title here in 2005.
"I watched my brother on TV winning this tournament and even if I was to watch it now I would have tears in my eyes," said Safina, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) Thursday. "It is great that I can follow in his footsteps because he was my idol, and he is still my idol. That I'm doing as well as him is just amazing."
Williams, for her part, has never been satisfied with her sterling resume.
"Obviously, I want to win," she said after beating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-4. "I'm excited that I'm playing really consistent."
By advancing to the singles and doubles finals at the Australian Open, Williams broke the record for career prize money won by a female athlete. Her total of about $22.7 million surpasses golf great Annika Sorenstam by more than $150,000.
"I remember earning my first check of $240 at Québec City in 1995, and while I knew I could have a great career in tennis, I could not have imagined or dreamed of all of this," Williams said. "I'm very proud to have reached this milestone."
Men's Singles
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal outlasted fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (1), 6-4 today to reach the final after the longest match in the tournament's history.
The fans were riveted as the left-handed Davis Cup teammates went at each other for 5 hours and 14 minutes. There were no arguments, no gamesmanship, just great shots, with the momentum shifting on a handful of key points.
The previous longest match at Melbourne Park came in 1991, when Boris Becker needed 5 hours and 11 minutes to beat Italian Omar Camporese, with the fifth set going 14-12.
Nadal earned the right to try to keep second-ranked Roger Federer from tying Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles on Sunday. Federer advanced to his 18th Grand Slam final with a straight sets win over Andy Roddick on Thursday.
