Taking advantage of some erratic serving by her older-sister and two-time defending champion, who committed a staggering 11 double faults, Serena sped through the season’s final grand slam in just over an hour.
It was the fourth time in last five grand slams that the sisters from Compton have battled for the title.
With an electric atmosphere circulating through the Arthur Ashe stadium court, Venus got the match off to a jittery start double faulting on her opening serve.
The two-time defending champion was quickly put under pressure by her little sister fighting off four break points before clinching the first game.
Wearing what has become her US Open evening wear — a skin-tight, black cat suit — Serena continued to take the initiative and once again had Venus under pressure in the fifth game with three more break points.
But, again, the Wimbledon and French Open champion failed to convert.
Serving at 3-3, Venus’s serve completely deserted her, double faulting twice to hand Serena yet two more break chances.
And this time her sister would not squander the opportunity, crushing a forehand winner to corner to inch ahead 4-3.
But Serena could not consolidate the break, Venus immediately answering with a break of her own to get back on serve at 4-4.
Another double fault by Venus, her sixth of the set, in the ninth game gave Serena her 10th break opportunity which she accepted to go up 5-4 then serving out the set with a thundering ace.
Venus’s serve continued to plague her in the second set, a ninth double fault handing Serena the early break 2-1.
“It could be her blister,” said the sister’s father Richard, refering to a blister Venus developed on her right hand during her semi-final with Amelie Mauresmo.
“Her feet are not moving and if she doesn’t do something soon she’s going to be out of here.”
After holding, Serena was back pushing her sister towards the exit, breaking Venus for the second time in the set to take command 4-1 and strangle hold on the match.
Venus recovered one of the breaks the next game then held serve cutting the deficit to 4-3 but would get no closer.
With the sellout crowd of 23,000 now firmly behind Venus, hoping to extend the match, Serena held serve and then broke her sister one more time clinching the title on her third match point.
With Americans bracing for the September 11 anniversary, now just four days away, the night opened with another stirring show of patriotism culminating with a moving rendition of “America”, sung by the Queen of soul Aretha Franklin. —Reuters