Sat Apr 5 15:24:15 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Serena wins again in Miami

---

Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Serena Williams had trouble putting Jelena Jankovic away, but she eventually did to claim her second straight $3.77 million Sony Ericsson Open title.

The defending-champion Williams captured a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 victory in a 2-hour, 25-minute affair that turned from dominant to tenuous for the winner at Crandon Park from 2002-2004.

Williams served for the match at 5-4 in the second, but Jankovic broke twice in the next three games to extend the match to a third and deciding set.

It appeared to only delay the inevitable after Williams raced to a commanding 5-0 edge in the third set before erratic play set in again. She missed out on three match points on serve at 5-2 then slammed -- and shattered -- her racket in disgust when Jankovic broke to make it 5-3.

The 26-year-old Williams regrouped to break the fourth-seeded Jankovic and win the title. The eighth-seeded Williams won her 12th straight match at this event and captured her 30th career title in 41 finals appearances. She improved to 14-1 so far this season.

Williams squared her all-time series with Jankovic at 3-3 and denied the Serbian her sixth career title. Jankovic won four titles last year, but has yet to hoist a trophy in 2008.

The American Williams collected $590,000, while Jankovic took home $295,000.