Serena Williams Wins 20th Career Major at French Open

It ended up being much harder than it originally appeared, but Serena Williams continued her steady assault on the history books by winning her 20th career Grand Slam title at Roland Garros on Saturday.

Despite battling the flu for much of the tournament and being bedridden on Friday, the top-seeded Williams overcame a tough fight from No. 13 Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic to win 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 for her third French Open title and her third straight Major title. She also holds the crowns at the U.S. Open and the Australian Open. If she wins Wimbledon next month she would notch another “Serena Slam,” the name given to her accomplishment when she held all four major titles in 2002-03.

“This is by far the most dramatic [major she has won],” Williams told Mary Carillo of NBC, referring to her four comebacks from one-set down en route to the title. “I didn’t even train yesterday. I’ve had the flu, oh my gosh, it’s been just a living nightmare….

“I just needed to step it up and once I relaxed, I stopped thinking and I just started playing and next thing I know I won.”

At 33, Williams passed Helen Wills Moody on the all-time women’s list at 19 majors and now trails only Margaret Court (24) and Steffi Graf (22). Court won 11 of her 24 titles at the Australian Open in the 1960s and ’70s when many top players did not play the event.

Williams improved to 20-4 in Slam finals and 18-0 in Slam singles finals after winning the first set.

“Twenty is pretty amazing to me,” Williams said. “Unfortunately I’m thinking about Wimbledon…I know, it’s bad, it’s bad. But I’m going to enjoy this moment I hope. I feel like I’m going to faint though, I’m exhausted..”

Djokovic Fends Off Murray in Five Sets to Advance to French Open Final

.@djokernole seals his fate. The World No.1 keeps his 2015 undefeated clay record alive and advances to RG final. https://t.co/3ymzfyAbeT

— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2015

After taking care of nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the quarterfinals of the French Open, it took Novak Djokovic the full five sets to dispatch Andy Murray in the semis.

The world’s No. 1 player finally eliminated No. 3 Murray, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1 on Saturday in Paris in the continuation of a match that was suspended Friday due to darkness. It was Djokovic’s 28th straight victory this year.

“We tend to run each other around and play cat and mouse game, and it’s tiring. It’s exhausting to play him,” Djokovic said on-court in French according to the BBC.

“But, you know, this is the kind of situations that you work for entire year, to get yourself in a position to play against one of the biggest rivals and to fight for major titles. I’m just glad I overcome the change.”