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Serena clinches year-end world number one spot
2009-10-28
DOHA (Reuters) - Serena Williams rarely backs down in a scrap but she was spared a fight for the honor of ending the year as world number one on Wednesday when her rival Dinara Safina quit the WTA Championships with injury. The 28-year-old American was guaranteed finishing top for the first time since 2002 when Safina lasted just two games against Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in her first match at the season-ending showpiece that had been billed as the duel in the desert. Safina, who topped the standings for more than half the year but needed to at least match Serena's performance in Doha to cling on to first place, made a tearful exit with a lower back injury before confirming that she would not attempt to play her other two round-robin matches. Serena then went out and beat sister Venus in a family dust-up that ended past midnight, coming through 5-7 6-4 7-6 in a near three-hour contest that underlined the warrior instincts of the 11-times grand slam champion. While victory virtually assured Serena of her place in the semi-finals, it left Venus's hopes of retaining her title hanging by a thread after she suffered her second defeat in two days after falling to Elena Dementieva on the first day. "2009 has been a truly memorable season for me during which I enjoyed some of my biggest career wins," Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Serena told reporters. "Capturing the year-end world number one ranking is a huge accomplishment for me and I am thrilled that all the hard work has paid off." She did, however, spare a thought for Safina despite often questioning the Russian's credentials as a world number one this year on the basis that she has still to win a grand slam title. "Dinara is such a great player that she must be really hurt because she never gives up," Serena said. "It's a shame for the tournament because it would have been great if we had both got through to the final to battle for it." While Serena's tennis has been impressive this season, the small matter of an ITF disciplinary hearing is still hanging over her head after her foul-mouthed rant at a line judge during the semi-final at the U.S. Open which resulted in a penalty point against her on matchpoint down to Kim Clijsters. Despite that unsavory incident, WTA Tour chief executive Stacey Allaster congratulated Serena on her achievement. "Serena is a terrific ambassador for our sport," she said. Williams, who will be number one through the week beginning December 28 at least, is eighth in the list for total weeks spent as world number one since the WTA rankings came into force, having spent 83 weeks at the top. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ed Osmond and Greg Stutchbury, to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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 Serena clinches year-end world number one spot (2009-10-28) |  Oudin's magical US Open ends with loss in quarters (2009-09-10) | | Murray's US Open ends early; Clijsters-Williams II (2009-09-08) | | Melanie Oudin the star in a US Open full of upsets (2009-09-08) | | Oudin ready to cut down another Russian (2009-09-07) | | 17-year-old American upsets Sharapova at US Open (2009-09-05) | | Federer beats Karlovic to reach Wimbledon semis (2009-07-01) | | Venus, Serena Williams reach Wimbledon semifinals (2009-06-30) | | Federer, SWilliams advance to Wimbledon 4th round (2009-06-26) | | Serena to play Dementieva in Australian Open semis (2009-01-28) | | Dementieva advances into Australian Open semis (2009-01-27) | | Andy Murray ousted in 4th round at Australian Open (2009-01-26) | | Nadal, Murray roll into week 2; Gonzalez sneaks in (2009-01-24) | | Nadal, Murray dominate at Australian Open (2009-01-24) | | Venus Williams ousted at Australian Open (2009-01-22) | | Serena, Dementieva advance at Australian Open (2009-01-21) | | Tennis champ Serena warns her best is yet to come (2009-01-16) | | Serena focused on grand slam title, not top billing (2008-09-06) | | Serena Williams, Jankovic reach US Open final (2008-09-06) | | Djokovic, angered by Roddick, beats him at US Open (2008-09-05) | | Serena edges Venus in all-Williams US Open quarter (2008-09-04) | | Federer feels he is peaking for another title tilt (2008-09-02) | | Jankovic to Open quarters; Federer, Roddick later (2008-08-31) | | Federer wants others to recall long stint as No. 1 (2008-08-31) | | Federer gunning for revenge over Stepanek at U.S. Open (2008-08-31) |
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