Serena Williams returned to US Open finals for the first time in six years by sweeping away sixth-seeded Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-2 in a windblown semifinal on Friday. The fourth-seeded American, who last played the Flushing Meadows title match in 2002 when she won her second US crown, will meet second seed Jelena Jankovic for the championship with the world number one ranking also going to the winner. Jankovic defeated Olympic champion Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-4, 6-4 to advance to her first Grand Slam final. Williams dealt best with blustery winds that blew groundstrokes wide and long, and played havoc with serve tosses that sometimes strayed too far to hit and ended up bouncing toward the net. Russian Safina broke the 26-year-old Williams in the opening game of the match but soon became frustrated with the gusting winds arriving ahead of an expected storm front, shrieking after several of her 41 unforced errors. Williams, who played with the same ferocity she showed in her quarterfinal victory over sister Venus, will be trying to reclaim the number one ranking she last held six years ago. Earlier, the second seed Jankovic came from behind in both sets to reach her first grand slam final. “As you can see I have tears in my eyes, I am little bit emotional to be in the final,” Jankovic said in a courtside interview. “I played something like five semifinals so to be in the final of a grand slam for the first time, I'm thrilled.” Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick put in a show-stopping performance on Thursday night but only the fired up Serbian was left standing to take an encore - albeit from a hostile Flushing Meadows crowd. The world number three outgunned American Roddick 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 in a high-quality shootout to set up a tantalizing semifinal with four-time champion Roger Federer but then felt the wrath of the crowd when he let his emotions spill over in a courtside interview. Rafael Nadal will take on Andy Murray in the other semifinal. Annoyed by Roddick's suggestions that he might have been exaggerating hip, ankle, stomach and breathing problems during his five-set win in the previous round, Djokovic told the fans: “Andy was saying that I have 16 injuries in the last match so obviously I don't, right? “That's not nice anyhow to say in front of this crowd that I have 16 injuries and I am faking it.” With the sellout crowd packed around the Arthur Ashe Stadium booing loudly, the Serb continued his outburst: “Like it or not, it's like that. They (the crowd) are already against me because they think I am faking everything, so sorry. “I am really happy playing against Roddick on his court and in his city in his favorite tournament so to win against him is a huge effort.” Roddick felt Djokovic had over-reacted to something that had been a joke. “It was completely meant in jest,” said the 2003 champion. “I'm sorry he took it that way. I don't think I was over the line. It wasn't my intention and I'm sorry he felt that way. Maybe I did him a favor.” Bryans bag doubles American twins Bob and Mike Bryan won the men's doubles crown for the second time when they squeezed past Indian-Czech duo Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy 7-6, 7-6 in the final on Friday. The 30-year-old brothers clawed back from an early break in the opening set to snatch it in a tiebreaker 7-5. Wet weekend forecast NEW YORK - US Tennis Association officials are pondering their rainy day plans with forecasters predicting downpours all day Saturday when the US Open men's semifinals and women's final are scheduled. “Super Saturday” at Flushing Meadows could instead become a washout with the remains of Hurricane Hanna expected to blow through the area, possibly forcing the first Monday play at the US Open in 21 years. Conditions are expected to improve on Sunday, when an afternoon men's final is scheduled and sunny skies are forecast.
