New Serena Continues to Progress

Six weeks in the life of a teenager is an eon, really.

Nearly anything is possible in six weeks, and when it comes to the teen tennis world, reinvention is merely a few booming groundstrokes and well-timed aces away.

In January, 17-year-old Serena Williams was struggling with the tag of finding defeat on the verge of victory. Six weeks later, Williams shed that label and is shredding her opponents in not-so-subtle fashion, reeling off 11 consecutive victories and two tournament titles.

Her latest victim was none other than the incomparable Steffi Graf of Germany. On Saturday, Williams defeated the fifth-seeded Graf, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, at the Evert Cup at Grand Champions Resort in a compelling 1-hour 52-minute final. Williams rallied from a 4-2 third-set deficit and needed treatment for her ailing right knee.

An elated Williams won it on her first match point when Graf pushed a forehand long. Williams went airborne and so did her racket, as her family, including older sister Venus, celebrated too.

“I definitely think in the next couple of months I’ll be in the top 10,” said Serena Williams, who earned $200,000 for the victory. “The only thing that can keep me away from the top 10 is if I quit playing tournaments for the rest of the year. Other than that, I definitely see myself there soon and farther.”

There is little subtle about the muscular Williams--on the court and off it. Her serve was punishing, as she delivered nine aces to Graf’s one. Her groundstrokes were just as potent. In all, Williams had 35 winners to Graf’s 11.

Before the final, she said she had the best forehand on the tour. And since losing in the third round at the Australian Open, Williams has backed up the talk, winning at Paris on Feb. 28 for her first title. Here, she beat second-ranked Lindsay Davenport and eighth-ranked Mary Pierce, and also avenged her Australian Open loss to Sandrine Testud. She didn’t lose a set en route to the final.

Williams will move from No. 21 in the world to No. 16 when the WTA rankings are released Monday. Other than Testud, Graf is the only player to beat Williams in 1999 and it took her three sets in the round of 16 at Sydney.

Graf has noticed the difference.

“A lot has to do with confidence,” she said. “I mean, tennis is based very much on it. You can see the change.”

The difference, apparently, resulted from a practice session about three weeks ago, according to Williams.

“I realized I had to make changes in my game if I wanted to get to the top level,” she said. “That’s when I realized I can’t keep going out there losing to people I should beat if I want to be a top player.

“If you don’t see it [the change], then I can’t describe it.”

A downcast Graf, playing in her first final in 1999, seemed in control early in the third set. She broke Williams’ serve at 30 in the opening game of the third, and established a 4-2 lead.

Serving at 4-3, Graf had a point to go up 5-3 but sent a forehand long. Williams broke her serve to tie it, 4-4, and held at love to take a 5-4 lead. Graf held at love but it only staved off the inevitable.

She felt she did not take enough chances.

“I just don’t think I’m playing very well--the important points--right now,” Graf said. “It’s nothing that I do all the time, but just the last few tournaments I definitely realized that.”

Graf, 29, had not lost a final since the 1994 U.S. Open when Arantxa Sanchez Vicario beat her in three sets. Since then, she had won 19 of 21 finals--defaulting once before the match because of injury and once when she retired after losing the first set.

For those reasons and others, the victory had special significance for Williams.

“It means a lot to me because Steffi is a great champion,” Williams said. “She has more titles--from what I hear--than any man or lady playing tennis. It’s very exciting for me to be able to have this win.

“I knew today was going to be a tough match. It’s very exciting for me. I’m only 17. I have a lot to look forward to in the future.”

Including interviewing herself for her own newsletter.

“It’s a hot story,” she said. “I’m not going to give you what I’m going to say. You have to make up your own. I was just about to say something too. Good try.”

It might be difficult. The way she is playing, in another six weeks, even Williams might have to rewrite her story.

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A NEW NO. 1

Carlos Moya’s rise to top of the world rankings is good for the Spaniard and it’s good for tennis too. Page 14

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MEN’S FINAL: Carlos Moya vs. Mark Philippoussis