Serena Williams Wins First Rome Title Since 2002

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Serena Williams Wins First Rome Title Since 2002

By Chris Oddo

(May 19, 2013) -- For the most decorated athlete in women’s tennis, a ten-year title drought at a single event is difficult to fathom. For Serena Williams, it was just another reason to get motivated—not that she needed it.

ATP: Rafa Thrashes Federer Again, Wins 7th Rome Title

The 31-year-old was great when she had to be and solid all day in routinely defeating World No. 3 Victoria Azarenka in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia final, 6-1, 6-3, for her first title in Rome since 2002.

Williams’ 24th consecutive win—a career-best for her—and 51st career title, leaves her as the clear favorite at next week’s French Open, an event she hasn’t won since the year she last won Rome.

Williams hammered 41 winners against 19 unforced errors and lost only 14 games in her five matches at the Foro Italico, never dropping a set.

The victory is the 15-time Grand Slam champion’s 10th in her last 11 meetings against Azarenka. But the one-sided scoreline wasn’t indicative of the ebb and flow of play, as Azarenka had chances in many of the games, but couldn’t fluster Williams in the meaningful moments of the match.

"We had a lot of tight games and the match was closer than the score, but she played a very good match and was better in the important moments," Azarenka said. "She was just better than me today. She's playing incredible tennis, maybe she's at her best level for the last year and a half or so.”

Williams 5th title of 2013 means that she’ll retain the No. 1 ranking regardless of her result at Roland Garros. She has won 33 of her last 34 on clay, and 66 of her last 70 matches overall.

Beneath bright, sunny skies with the occasional patch of clouds rolling overhead, Williams saved four of five break points in the first set to jump out early lead.

But Azarenka, playing her first career final in Rome, held her own in the second set—for a while.

She held serve twice to stay even at two games apiece, and even when she fell behind a break at 4-2 she managed to break back in the next game.

But the rally was short-lived as Williams fought back from 15-40 down in the next game and finally broke through when Azarenka double-faulted on game point.

Williams made the most of her opportunity to serve for the match, hitting back-to-back aces to get to triple match point, then tattooing a backhand winner to finish the Belarussian off.

Earlier in the women's doubles final, Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan and Peng Shuai of China upset the top-ranked Italian pair of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

(Photo Credit: AP)