Bumpy Route, But Familiar Ending

The ending looked familiar: Serena Williams with both arms up on the red clay in one of her home cities.

But it was hardly an uneventful journey from a sick bed to the French Open trophy ceremony Saturday. (Age no barrier for Supreme Serena)

For about an hour, it looked like it would be another straightforward coronation ceremony for Williams as she was ruthlessly closing in on her latest major victory. Facing Lucie Safarova, Williams was up 6-3, 4-1 and serving at 40-15. But then matters - as they have so often this year for Williams in Paris - got complicated.

First came a forehand winner from Safarova; then a backhand unforced error and then, most surprisingly, two consecutive double faults and Safarova's first break of serve of the match.

It was only a blip, n'est-ce pas?

Not so. Safarova - a wide-eyed, left-handed, 28-year-old Czech playing in her first major singles final - would force a third set, using a flurry of winners on the stretch and the run to break Williams when she served for the match at 6-5.

Safarova then took a 2-0 lead in the third set with Williams still looking slightly stunned. But Williams once again found a way to turn a deficit into a victory, rallying to sweep the last six games and close out a 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 victory.

"The match got much more complicated," Williams said in her post-match comments, delivered in a mixture of French and English (Franglais, they might call it here).

The tournament certainly got much more complicated than usual for the 33-year-old American champion. Saturday's roller coaster ride was Williams' fifth three-set victory here this year.

Earlier Saturday, Novak Djokovic, the No.1 men's player in the world, advanced to the men's final, holding off Andy Murray of Britain 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1. The match was suspended because of rain and darkness Friday night at 3-3 in the fourth set. Djokovic will face Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland in Sunday's final in an attempt to win the only Grand Slam singles title he lacks.

Williams said she contracted the flu midway through the tournament, and she was shaky on her feet in her semifinal victory over Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland. Williams did not practice Friday as she tried to rest and recover, but she looked anything but rusty or vulnerable at the start Saturday, slamming a full-force backhand winner and an ace in the opening game.

The plot eventually thickened considerably, but there was ultimately no keeping Williams from her third French Open singles title and 20th Grand Slam singles title. She now is third on the list for major singles titles, behind Margaret Court of Australia, who won 24, and Steffi Graf of Germany, who won 22 and was here in Paris this week.

Safarova had swept through a rough neighborhood of a draw without losing a set on her way to her first major singles final.

At age 28, she has learned to calm her nerves and to trust in her talent. But Williams - when she has another major trophy in sight - is generally an irresistible force.

"She's close to the finish line, she knows her place in history," said the former No. 1 Chris Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, in an interview with British broadcaster ITV.

Williams is now 20-4 in Grand Slam singles finals and 18-0 when she wins the first set. On Saturday, it might have gotten more complicated than usual, but the outcome was very familiar.

© 2015 New York Times News Service