Serena Williams won the China Open on Sunday after facing two match points in the second set and going on to beat U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Both players appeared rattled by the boisterous crowd, several times playing after a point was complete because they couldn't hear the call. Professional tennis is new to China, and spectators clapped and cheered during points and between serves. Cell phones rang repeatedly.
When the chair umpire tried to silence the crowd with a sharply spoken "thank you," the crowd cheered loudly as if to say "you're welcome."
Williams saved two of Kuznetsova's match points while down 4-5 in the second set. She went on to win the next three games to take the second set. She raced ahead 4-0 in the third before Kuznetsova could reply.
The second-seeded Russian broke Williams twice late in the third set. But Williams needed just one match point, serving big while up 5-4, and Kuznetsova's shot hit the net on the final point.
Williams is working her way back up the WTA rankings after missing part of this year because of injury. She will remain at No. 10 despite the victory while Kuznetsova will stay at No. 5.
(China Daily September 27, 2004)
