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Serena, Jankovic reach U.S. Open final

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. (UPI) -- Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic battled their way through blustery conditions Friday and advanced to the championship match of the U.S. Open.

Williams reached her fourth U.S. Open final by defeating Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-2 and Jankovic ousted Elena Dementieva 6-4, 6-4.

Winds from the fringes of Tropical Storm Hanna made for difficult playing conditions, but Williams prevailed to keep alive her bid for a ninth major title. She has an 8-3 record in major championship finals.

Safina had hoped to add the U.S. Open to her growing list of accomplishments this year. She had reached the title match in six of her previous seven tournaments and had won three of them.

Williams, who was runner-up to her older sister Venus at Wimbledon this year, has won three times on the WTA circuit in 2008.

Jankovic, who was ranked No. 1 in the world for a week last month, ended Dementieva's 11-match winning streak. That stretch included a gold medal-winning performance at the Olympics.

Williams and Jankovic have split their six career meetings and are 1-1 in their major championships matchups.

The title match is scheduled for Saturday night, although the approaching foul weather associated with Hanna could force a postponement.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 09/05/2008

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