Save this recipe for future Family Circle Cup success

Serena Williams capped the best Family Circle Cup on Sunday since the tournament moved from Hilton Head Island in 2001 with a winning smile and a sincere wave to her favorite crowd on tour.

Here's hoping for more April weeks on Daniel Island like the one Serena, Maria Sharapova, Bud Collins and a bunch of diligent food court chefs helped us enjoy.

To make sure, don't lose the recipe that makes for a scrumptious Family Circle Cup, for those who love the sport and for people who don't own a single tennis ball, but enjoy coming to the tournament to watch players they've heard of while eating and drinking:

--Start with Serena served on a hard roll. The youngest Williams sister after defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final appears primed for a run through the

French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Just like 2002 when she won them all.

--Mix in three sets of epic tennis. In this case, the Serena-Maria slugfest Friday, an early glimpse of what hopefully is an enduring rivalry.

--Include well-stocked beverage carts.

--Sprinkle on a surprise. Saving the Sharapova commitment announcement until just a few weeks for the tournament ensured a big plus for early ticket buyers to counter the typical star withdrawal news (this year Venus Williams and Justine Henin).

--Add the best weather since the tournament has been on Daniel Island.

Hey, Bud

--A layer of more patrons every year who know how to turn their cell phones to silent.

--A gyro from North Towne.

--Apply former Family Circle Cup champions Chris Evert (eight times) and Martina Navratilova (four times), on hand as the stars of the tournament's 35th anniversary celebration. With Martina recalling the roots of a classic rivalry.

"When I came on tour, Evonne Goolagong was the big star and playing Chris," Navratilova said. "I remember Chris saying Evonne was her biggest rival. I'm like, 'Hmmm ... Just wait.' "

--Stick in a little reminder that Martina went 43-37 against Chris.

--Pulled pork platters from BlackJack Barbecue.

--A heavy dose of Bud Collins, who was the Dick Vitale and John Madden of his sport before those other two guys were introduced to microphones.

--Pour in 12 seeded players surviving into the quarterfinals.

--A smidge of Southern flavor. That's right, a player from a border state made it to Sunday. Doubles finalist Edina Gallovits of Romania lives in Atlanta. Her Sony Ericsson WTA Tour media guide bio says she "likes all types of music except country."

--Crab cakes from Barbara Jean's.

Pro-Serena

--A touch of unabashed delight in the voice of unseeded, 18-year-old Alize Cornet as she prepared for the semifinals after watching the Williams-Sharapova match.

"They hit so hard," Cornet said. "And I said, 'Oh, my God, if I win and if I play Serena tomorrow, I hope not to be ridiculous.' "

--A lesson in how to pronounce ah-li-zeh COR-neh.

--A Cherry Garcia bar from Ben and Jerry's.

--An energy boost from hard-working and gregarious defending champion Jelena Jankovic, so stung by her Friday night semifinal loss to Zvonareva that she went through two-a-day workouts on Family Circle Tennis Center practice courts Saturday.

--A grilled chicken wrap from The Kickin' Chicken.

--Fan power.

"The crowd was great," Williams said. "I wish I could take them with me to Europe."

A very heavy helping.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com.