Serena regains crown Williams blasts past Sharapova in final By Bud Collins, Globe Correspondent | January 27, 2007 MELBOURNE -- Sure, the name was Serena Williams, but in the pecking order of the tennis universe, she was an overlooked No. 81 and hadn't done anything for two years. So she came to Australia to do something -- to turn the down under championship upside down, and walk away, doing a little soft shoe, after her last blast, to become the most improbable wearer of the crown that had been hers in 2003 and '05. Shall we call this the Great Masquerade? Impersonating No. 81 for a while, two rounds, Williams began to show her true -- almost forgotten -- colors in the third round, moving the extra poundage incredibly, astonishingly, insisting that being astonished was for onlookers. Not her. Melbourne bookies had Williams at the back of the pack of known names, 17-1, when the Australian Open began, and she should have been out of here in that third round when Russian Nadia Petrova served for victory, three points away. Also in the quarterfinals as Israeli Shahar Peer served for it, two points distant. But this was Sister Serena, a big lady with a big, competitive heart, and she didn't come to Melbourne Park to look like No. 81, even though she'd been evicted in the third round here by Daniela Hantuchova a year ago. It was a year better forgotten, of injuries, indifference, and abysmal performances in only four tournaments. She came to win seven matches, each from women ranked ahead of her, five of them seeded -- and to look like No. 1 again. To do that this afternoon, with rain on the roof, and ice water in her veins, Williams had to defeat top-seeded Maria Sharapova. Defeat? That's too mild a word for what Williams did. The closest Sharapova came was standing at the net with Williams and the umpire for the prematch coin toss. Then Williams embarked on her personal 63-minute demolition derby: 6-1, 6-2. It was hot-rodding through the park from the moment Williams bopped a backhand winner for the first of her 61 points (Sharapova had 35) until she duplicated that stroke for match point. Whereupon she told the roofed-in crowd of 15,000 that she was "thrilled" to be back in the winner's circle. She thanked God and her mother/coach, Oracene Price, then wept, saying she dedicated the triumph to her sister, Yetunde, murdered in 2003. Williams, serving aces, banging winners everywhere, retrieving relentlessly, treated Sharapova as mercilessly as Roger Federer flattened Andy Roddick. She was gunning returns that kept Sharapova off balance, and led, 5-0, within 16 minutes. "She didn't want long rallies and was too good," said Sharapova. "I had a couple of break points, but . . . " The Russian had felt they'd rage at each other in extended duels from the baseline, as in their last previous meeting. On the same court, semifinals of 2005, Williams rescued three match points, beating Sharapova, 2-6, 7-5, 8-6. It was filled with mutual shrieking, and Williams continued, taking the title match from Lindsay Davenport on another rebound, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. But Williams didn't need her primal screams this time. She was on top so fast, so deadly in her shot-making that only two rallies were in double digits. Sharapova yelped but never got worked up into her familiar vocal routine. Scattering seeds throughout the fortnight, a record five, Williams is the lowest-ranked champion, and the first non-seed to win, since No. 111, Aussie Chris O'Neill, ruled in 1978, a decidedly second-rate year. "I'm so happy with my new ranking, the biggest jump I've ever made," said Williams, shrunk from No. 81 to No. 14, and back in the tennis business in a huge way. Rain and heavy winds forced closure of the ceiling, making it an indoor final, as it was in 2005, and Williams has thrived as a hothouse plant. A five-game run took her to a 4-0 lead in the second set . Sharapova's poor serving (51 percent, six double faults) was helpful in bludgeoning Williams's successful quest for an eighth major title. She let Williams look at and lambaste too many second serves. If it had been a prizefight, the umpire would have declared a TKO at 6-1, 4-0. Sharapova, nearly an early loser herself -- two points from defeat by No. 62 Camille Pin in the first round -- didn't lose a set after that. But she was impressive only in a 6-4, 6-2 semifinal beating of Kim Clijsters. Williams agreed that she had come "out of nowhere" to one of her most satisfying wins, giving her a 3-2 career edge over her 19-year-old foe. Sharapova had it right: "Don't ever underestimate what Serena can do." (c) Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company. -- --

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