Serena Captures 3rd Open Title

All these years later, Serena Williams is back as the US Open champion, and she's back at No. 1, too. Displaying the talent and tenacity that helped her dominate tennis earlier in the decade, Williams outlasted second-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 tonight for her third US Open championship and ninth Grand Slam title.

Williams jumped up and down at the net as she celebrated her first triumph at Flushing Meadows since 2002, which guaranteed she'll lead the rankings for the first time since August 2003. In a thrill-a-minute match full of marvelous strokes and momentum swings, Williams was four times a single point from heading to a third set. But she was simply relentless, and took the final four games. (More Serena Williams stories.)