U.S. Open 2013: Serena Williams Does It Again

Oops she did it again…and again…and again…

On Sunday afternoon American superstar Serena Williams did what seemed nothing short of inevitable after a series of dominating victories recently—she won the U.S. Open for the fifth time in her already stellar career.

Unlike many of her recent wins, No. 1 ranked Williams faced a serious challenge from Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. But she certainly knew what she was up against—these two met in the U.S. Open Finals in 2012.

It was a windy day at the open-air Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York, which added an additional layer of difficulty. Gusts of wind interrupted Williams’ serves on a few occasions, blowing her dress and fraying her nerves.

After blowing a big lead in the second set, her frustration with the conditions became very obvious. An exacerbated Williams declared, “I can’t play in this wind!” before throwing her racket towards the sideline. Never thought to be an athlete lacking in confidence, she rebounded from the momentary lapse in composure quickly.

Although Azarenka battled back several times from being well behind in sets, she was unable seal the deal in the end. For the second consecutive year Williams defeated Azarenka in three-straight sets.

The U.S. Open victory is the 17th Grand Slam singles title for 31-year-old (soon to be 32) Williams, which is the sixth-most in history. Currently she’s just one shy of Martina Navratilova and Chris Everet on the all-time list.

The last two years have seen a resurgent Williams, who failed to win a Grand Slam in 2011. There were those who questioned her commitment to the game at the time, but she has certainly silenced the doubters of late.

In 2012 Williams won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, which bookended nicely the gold medal she earned at the London Olympics. In 2013 it was the French Open and the U.S. Open. If she continues on like this, who knows what 2014 will bring.

With the Australian Open a full four months away, Williams has time to enjoy this win. And she should savor it because after a certain age you never know which one will be the last.

That being said, come January all eyes are going to be on Williams. Can she possibly maintain this level of success for a third straight year—which will be the 15th year of her professional career—or will she return to Earth with the rest of us mortals.

Only time will tell.