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NEW YORK. — World number one women’s tennis player Serena Williams is firing on all cylinders as she seeks to stretch her tally of Grand Slam singles titles to 18 at the US Open which starts here next Monday. The familiar hard courts of Flushing Meadows, where Williams has lifted the trophy the past two years and a total of five times, is just the place to end her 2014 Grand Slam drought.
The American superstar hasn’t made it past the fourth round of a major this year.

But she has won two of her five 2014 titles in the build-up to the Open, signalling she won’t surrender her crown without a fight.
Her straight-sets win over Ana Ivanovic in the final at Cincinnati showed Williams at her dominant best.

“At some point of the match, I actually felt quite embarrassed walking from one side to the other for returns,” Ivanovic said of the near-hopelessness of returning Williams’ serve.

It was a long way from Ivanovic’s fourth-round victory over Williams at the Australian Open, where the American was hindered by back pain.
Back trouble, and the virus that left her weak and woozy in doubles after her shock third-round singles exit at Wimbledon, are all in the past, Williams said.

“I’m in some of the best shape I’ve been in,” she said. “I can play long points and be ready to go again. I feel really fit — 32 is the new 22, right?”
An actual 22-year-old, Simona Halep, will be among those trying to topple Williams in New York.

The Romanian has been knocking at the door of a first Grand Slam title this year, finishing runner-up to Maria Sharapova at Roland Garros.— AFP.