Serena Williams returns in a sad final

All the nay-sayers can sit down and shut up because Serena Williams, winner of the 2005 Australian Open, is back. Down with injuries for some time and not playing up to her usual level, Serena was counted out by many, but now she's won her 7th Grand Slam. Unfortunately, she won it at the expense of a meltdown by Lindsay Davenport, and the final was even worse than the horrid 2004 French Open final.

Some of us thought Davenport's negative days were over, but apparently they aren't. Fatigue played a role: She played a grueling 3-set quarterfinal thriller against Alicia Molik, and a grueling 3-set semifinal against Nathalie Dechy. Then she played in the semifinals and finals of the doubles competition. It is established wisdom that possible singles champions need to stay away from doubles play at the same tournament, but this was a special occasion. Davenport was paired with her partner (and best friend) from 1999, Corina Morariu, who has had to battle both serious injury and life-threatening leukemia in the past few years. There was no way Davenport was going to cancel her doubles date.

But it wasn't just fatigue that caused Davenport--who was winning the match--to suddenly go to pieces. It was her maddening perfectionism. One bad error led to more and more and more, and that is the history of Davenport's game, and the likely reason that this incredibly talented player hasn't won more than three Grand Slams. She turns on herself, and her game disappears.

Williams, on the other hand, had to take an injury break, but came back still believing she could win. And though you can't give her much credit for defeating an opponent who had virtually stopped playing, Williams proved herself in her semifinal match against Maria Sharapova, when she saved three match points and won a 3-setter that was going Sharapova's way. That's what champions do.

This will probably be Davenport's last year on the WTA tour. I am a big fan and still believe she has another Grand Slam in her, especially after her remarkable 2004 summer run. The U.S. Open seemed to be hers, but she fell to injury in the semifinals. She has never been a prime clay court player, so her main chances are at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Injured throughout much of her career, Davenport has always had the toughness to come back, but she has not always had the toughness to believe in herself on the court during big moments.

Two other players should be noticed for their wonderful Australian Open performances: Australia's Molik and the French player, Dechy. Molik has been steadily climbing up the ratings, and she played superbly against Danvenport in the quarterfinals. Dechy, who has struggled with injury for years, has a new coach, and it shows. Her play in the semifinals was elegant and clever, but she lacked the champion's steadiness and resolve to close out a tiebreaker when she was up 4-1 at the end of the second set.