Serena Williams Makes This Victory Look Easy

Serena Williams exceeded her expectations at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Playing for the first time after an eight-month layoff following her Wimbledon title, she routed Elena Dementieva, 6-1, 6-1, Saturday to win the title.

The 50-minute women’s final was the most one-sided in the 20-year history of the tournament.

“I think the rust has definitely worn off,� Williams said. “Honestly, I didn’t expect to win my first tournament back.�

The top-seeded Williams, returning from knee surgery Aug. 1, lost only one set en route to her third consecutive Key Biscayne title. And she was at her most overwhelming against the fifth-seeded Dementieva.

“She’s a great player,� Dementieva said, “and it’s just amazing how well she played after this break.�

Williams won 12 consecutive points early to take control and winning 11 consecutive games.

The last top-ranked woman to win a title in her first tournament after a layoff of at least six months was Monica Seles, who was sidelined more than two years after being stabbed and won her first comeback event in Toronto in 1995.

“I used her as inspiration,� Williams said. “I thought, ‘If Monica can do it, maybe I can at least win a few rounds.’ �

Williams encountered little resistance on her way to the title, partly because the field was unusually weak. She slipped to sixth in the rankings during her layoff and benefited at Key Biscayne from the absence of all five players ranked ahead of her, including No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne, the last player to beat Williams.

Also missing was Kim Clijsters, who spent three months at No. 1 last year. Dementieva upset Venus Williams in the quarterfinals to spoil a potential all-Williams final.

“I don’t care who I play,� Serena said. “I’m going to play them sooner or later.�

Williams lost the opening game when she committed six unforced errors, and twice was called for a foot fault. Otherwise the performance was her most polished of the tournament.

Beach Volleyball

The ninth-seeded team of Dax Holdren and Stein Metzger advanced to the quarterfinals of the season-opening Assn. of Volleyball Professionals’ Fort Lauderdale Open by upsetting top-seeded Canyon Ceman and Mike Whitmarsh, 21-15, 21-15. In another third-round match, seventh-seeded Todd Rogers and Sean Scott beat second-seeded Karch Kiraly and Mike Lambert, 21-18, 21-15.

In the women’s draw, the top-seeded team of Misty May and Kerri Walsh advanced with a 21-12, 21-12 victory over ninth-seeded Heather Lowe and Jenny Pavley. Second-seeded Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs defeated 10th-seeded Barbra Fontana and Jennifer Kessy, 21-19, 21-19.

Miscellany

Penn State won its record 11th NCAA men’s gymnastics title at Champaign, Ill., beating two-time champion Oklahoma by more than a point. Nittany Lion sophomore Luis Vargas won the all-around title.

Krissy Wendell and Tricia Dunn scored power-play goals to help the U.S. defeat Canada, 3-1, in the world hockey championship at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Canada, 37-1 in world championship competition, must defeat Sweden today to earn a rematch with the U.S. in Tuesday’s gold-medal game.

Clay Rush kicked a 20-yard field goal in overtime to give the Indiana Firebirds (4-5) a 45-42 victory over the Colorado Crush (6-3) in an Arena League game in front of 12,238 in Denver.

Air Force quarterback Adam Fitch will be out four to six months after rupturing the Achilles’ tendon in his right leg during spring practice. Fitch, who played in six games last season as the backup to Chance Harridge, was the projected starter.

Sharmba Mitchell knocked down Mike Stewart three times and retained his interim International Boxing Federation junior-welterweight title with a unanimous decision in Manchester, England.

Stanford senior Tara Kirk, who set a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke at the NCAA Division I women’s swimming and diving championships and became the first woman to win an NCAA breaststroke event in four consecutive years, was named the nation’s most outstanding collegiate woman athlete in swimming and diving in balloting among NCAA member schools. She will receive the Honda award for the top female student-athlete in 12 sports.