NEW YORK -- Minutes earlier, Serena Williams had seen No. 1 seed Martina Hingis' backhand fly long. She, Serena, not her older, more celebrated sister, Venus, had just beaten Hingis, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) for the U.S. Open women's championship. Serena was staggered.
As the roar of a standing-room-only crowd rose around her, she screamed, laughed and cried and then ran to kiss her mother, Oracene, and hug her father, Richard, both of whom had coached her to this moment.
And now, as she stood, waiting to receive the Open trophy and her check for $750,000, she was still overwhelmed.
"I've won a Grand Slam," she said, softly, to no one in particular. "I've made history -- for once."
Williams, who will turn 18 Sept. 26, became only the second African-American woman to win a Grand Slam tournament. The only other black woman to do it was Althea Gibson, who won titles in the French Open (1956), at Wimbledon (1957) and in the U.S. Open (1957 and 1958).
On the men's tour, the only African-American to win a Grand Slam title was Arthur Ashe, who won three of them: the U.S. Open (1968), Australian Open (1970) and Wimbledon (1975).
"I'm so excited," Serena said. "And I'm proud to have done it. One of Althea Gibson's best friends told me once that she wanted to see another African-American win a Slam before her time is up. I'm so excited I had a chance to accomplish that while she's still alive. It's just really great."
Gibson, 72, lives very reclusively in East Orange, N.J.
Serena looked as if she would power her way to her first Grand Slam title in under an hour. She used her powerful serve to keep Hingis on her heels, and her stunning backhand moved her opponent from side to side in the first set.
Only the day before, Hingis, the world No. 1-ranked player, had been treated similarly by Venus, 19, who was trying to get back to her second U.S. Open final. But Friday, Hingis was able to handle Venus, who had service problems and developed leg cramps late in the three-set match.
Yesterday, it was another story.
Hingis again showed her great ability to compete, but Serena was on her own mission.
"I've been preparing for this my whole life," Serena said. "I was always the one to say, `I want to win the U.S. Open. I want it.' Venus always wanted Wimbledon. I guess, when she wins Wimbledon, she's going to have the same feeling."
