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Sam Stosur in a spectacular upset captured her first Grand Slam title with a 6-2, 6-3 demolition of home favourite Serena Williams. Stosur became the first Australian to capture the US Open title since Margaret Court back in 1973 in a superb performance. Her victory though was partially overshadowed by yet another Serena controversy at the US Open. On a day of commemoration and quiet remembrance of the 10^th anniversary of the horror attack that razed the twin towers, Serena Williams did not do her country proud showing poor sportsmanship in a tirade against the chair umpire after a decision went against her. She even refused to shake the umpire's hand at the end of the match in a disappointing display both from a sportsmanship and indeed from a tennis point of view. Serena though partially redeemed herself as she praised Stosur in the post match interview, â€œShe played really, really well & kept hitting winners. She's a great player”. Stosur was obviously delighted with her triumph and in true Pat Cash style climbed into the player's box to celebrate her win. She was classy and understated in her interview saying “I dreamed of this day since I was 10 years old”. She praised Serena and thanked all involved in her moment of crowning glory.

Samantha Stosur dominated from the start working to a clear gameplan. With her serve in excellent shape and the kicker rearing like a prancing horse, she brooked little opposition on her delivery. Her forehand was a devastating weapon today and she used her backhand slice smartly too. Her experience at Roland Garros last year seemed to have held her in good stead as the nerves that beset her then were firmly banished on this occasion. Stosur also deserved kudos for mentally staying focussed with all the controversy raging around and the victory was just reward for this wonderful sportswoman.

Serena Williams won the toss and chose to serve unsurprisingly given the quality of her delivery. Her first serve was an ace out wide and an ominous portent for her opponent for whom the return is not the strong suite. Stosur possesses a strong serve herself with the kicker being especially formidable. She used it to good effect to hold her opening game and lay down a marker to Serena that she was not her to be rolled over. Serena in her measured manner, prepared for every shot in that exaggerated careful way before unloading on the ground stroke. In response Stosur was ripping her forehand and taking every opportunity to move forward where her skills at the net could help in being decisive. This approach worked well and against expectations, Stosur drew first blood breaking Serena in the third game to lead 2-1. Serving smartly and her kicker rearing viciously, Stosur crucially consolidated the break and gave herself the early momentum in the final. Serena's serve though went downhill quickly after the auspicious start. Hardly hitting a first serve she was pushed to the brink in the 5^th game before an enterprising Stosur taking the return early, broke Serena again in the 7^th game to go up 5-2. The Aussie in comparison was serving magnificently and using her slice very effectively for the dual purpose of keeping her in the rallies as well as to deny Serena the pace and bounce she can tee off. The 9^th seed served out the set at love finishing in style with an inside out forehand that sped past a despairing Williams.

Stosur had played the first set firmly in the zone. The danger always is that the end of the set that the focus can go, the bubble firmly pricked. It didn't seem to bother the Aussie one bit as a stone cold off forehand return winner set up break point. Serena seemed to have saved it as she hit a forehand that Stosur just about got a racquet to. However, this was when controversy erupted as Serena who against tennis etiquette screamed a “Come On!” before the point ended. The chair umpire awarded the point to Stosur which inevitably enraged Serena. The younger Williams sister exploded at the umpire and got slapped with a warning for inappropriate conduct as a result.

The entire atmosphere however changed in this phase as the biased crowd began to make noises in favour of Serena. This is what Serena perversely needed as it fired her up and her play improved in consequence, winning the next two games. The interval did not show the 13 time champion in good light as she continued her tirade against the chair umpire before degrading into a rather childish tantrum when she told the umpire “don't look at me. You are unattractive on the inside”.

Stosur thankfully was a model professional throughout the ugly episode and acquitted herself well when she came through a really stern examination of her serve as Serena threw the kitchen sink at her opponent. Against the run of play, Stosur remaining calm and collected mixed defense and chose the right moments to attack and broke Williams' serve a fourth time in the 7^th game of the second set to leave herself within arm's reach of victory at 4-3. Stosur needed to consolidate the break to keep Serena at arm's distance. She did precisely that with a forehand into the backhand corner punctuated with a “Come On!!” after the ball went dead. Stosur then remarkably set up 2 match points on Serena's serve but her never say die attitude came to the fore as she saved both with precise points. Stosur though set up yet another match point and finished it in emphatic fashion with a stone cold service return winner that left Serena scrambling.

Final Score:

[9] Sam Stosur (AUS) d [28] Serena Williams 6-2 6-3