Serena Williams: U.S. Open Win Will Cap Epic Summer for First Lady of Tennis

All Serena Williams has done since June is win the Wimbledon singles and doubles tournaments, take home gold medals at the London Olympics in singles and doubles and win the WTA Tour Bank of the West Classic in between, just for the heck of it.

And with that momentum behind her, I'm predicting she'll conclude "The Summer of Serena" with a win at the U.S. Open, reminding the tennis world that she has another run of dominance up her sleeve. 

So what did you do this summer?

While the U.S. Open has always been her third-best Grand Slam (she has five wins apiece at Wimbledon and the Australian Open), she's still won the tournament three times in her career (1999, 2002, 2008). 

Serena's healthy, she's got her swagger back and she'll have the New York fans behind her. She's clearly the front-runner, and I for one won't bet against her.

And remember, she made the final a year ago, only to lose—surprisingly—to Samantha Stosur. So we know she can play this court and, more importantly, she may have some motivation to get that title she thought would be hers just a year ago.

Plus, her draw is favorable. Only Maria Kirilenko seems capable of posing a threat to Williams before the quarters, and her likely opponents in that round (either Ana Ivanovic or Caroline Wozniacki) are plenty beatable.

Sure, she could meet Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals, but if the Polish star-in-the-making is on her game, a date in the final between the two players would have likely been inevitable had the draw come out differently. Radwanska may want Wimbledon revenge, but I don't think she will get it here.

That leaves a slew of possibilities in the final, with Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova the most likely contenders. Serena is 6-0 against the three of them this year.

Face it, folks—it's The Summer of Serena. She has too much momentum and too much talent for the field in New York.

The first lady of tennis is back. 

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