Sam Stosur, 2011 US Open Women's Singles Champion.

By taking out the 2011 US Open Women's Singles Championship, Sam Stosur has secured an elusive achievement... having won a US Open Singles Crown and a US Open Doubles Crown. While not in the same year, let's not forget Stosur has lifted the silverware at the US Open before. Back in 2005, Stosur won the US Open Women's Doubles Championship with American, Lisa Raymond. 

For the record, Stosur became World No.1 on the WTA Doubles Circuit with Lisa Raymond in February 2006 after claiming the US Open in 2005 and the French Open in 2006, as well as being runner up in the 2005 Australian Open. Stosur also holds two Grand Slam Mixed Doubles crowns after a win at the Australian Open in 2005 with Scott Draper and, in 2008, with Bob Bryan at Wimbledon. 

It is a certainty that her skills on the doubles court have translated to success in singles and we saw it this morning against Serena Williams. The ability to repetatively rally from the service square with Williams also at the net shows the reflexes often developed on the doubles court.

In a final marred by some controversy which resulted in Williams being served a code violation and a penalty point being handed to Stosur early in the second set, the crowd endeavoured to lift Williams. It was to no avail as Stosur seized her first Grand Slam Singles title by defeating Serena Williams 6-2, 6-3 at Flushing Meadows in just over an hour. 

To add to her list of achievements, Stosur has become the first Australian to win this title since 1973 when Margaret Court held the cup aloft.

Stosur deserves all the success that comes her way. She has battled more than some, having defeated illness after succumbing to Lyme disease and viral meningitis in 2007. She fought her way back to become a significant threat on the WTA Singles Tour with a powerhouse serve. She was runner up at the 2010 French Open and, now, reigns supreme at Flushing Meadows to fulfil a childhood dream.

Read more about Sam Stosur at http://samstosur.com