(March 29, 2014) Serena Williams came back from a 2-5 deficit in the first set to win 11 of the next 12 game to close out Li Na 7-5, 6-1 to claim a record-setting seventh Sony Open title on Saturday.
This marks Williams’ 59th title of her career, 14 more than any other currently active player on the WTA Tour and the seventh most in history.
Williams came out sluggish in the first set going down two breaks to Li to trail 2-5. Li served for the set twice and had one set point which Williams overcame.
“I don’t think I was play(ing) bad,” Li said. “Maybe she just start a little bit better after 5‑2 down.”
“Sometimes I do get off to a slow start, but then again, sometimes I get off to a fast start,” Williams said.
“I just remember being down. She was playing so well, and at that point I just was trying to just stay focused and stay in the game.
“Then I remember really ‑‑ some of the crowd was so intense. I thought, Wow, they really want to see a good match, I’ve got to try harder, I’ve got to do better.
“That really helped me a lot.”
“I really thought I could do better at this point,” Williams explained. “My serve, percentage was super, super low, I think in the 30s, and I thought, Okay, I can serve a little better, and I know I can return better, and I’m practicing all these years and I have a good return. I need to start doing it. I need to start doing what I practice.
“And no joke. So many people in the crowd were saying, Come on, Serena. That was such a great feeling for me. I really definitely think the crowd got me through this match.”
During the trophy ceremony, the two 32-year-old veterans shared a laugh on the podium.
“I just feel that both she and I, we just have this never‑give‑up fight, and it just goes to show that, you know, you can still shine at any age.” Williams commented.
“We were talking about for sure before the match they say, Oh, two old women come to the final,” Li said with a smile.
“Yeah, because a little bit laughing about our age.”
“I was so happy for her and us and how we were doing,” Williams said.
“We’re playing great tennis and we’re both 1 and 2 and, you know, we’re both the same age.
“For me, it was just an honor to be there with her. We have had ‑‑ we are living the same life, and at this stage, to be on top, I don’t think it’s been done before and I think it’s really awesome.
“I definitely feel like she deserved praise. Especially winning the Australian was great.”
Williams is the oldest player, at 32 years and six months, to win the Miami title; Chris Evert (in 1986) is the only other player to have won the title after their 30th birthday.
Williams is the fourth player, after Chris Evert, Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova, in the Open Era to win the same tournament seven or more times.
Karen Pestaina is a contributor in Miami. She writes for various tennis and news outlets and is the Editor-in-Chief of Tennis Panorama News. Follow her on Twittter @TennisNewsTPN.