Serena Williams is back on top of the tennis world after clinching an open era record 23rd grand slam title.
The 35-year-old overcame a stern challenge from big sister Venus to become Australian Open champion for a seventh time.
Serena had a not-so-straightforward 6-4 6-4 win at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night to move into outright second on the all-time grand slam titles list.
She overtook Germany’s Steffi Graf (22 titles) and moved a step closer to the 24 titles achieved by Australia’s Margaret Court.
“It’s such a great feeling to have 23,” Serena said. “I’ve been chasing it for a really long time. When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here. It’s a great feeling. No better place to do it than Melbourne.”
Serena also reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking.
It was snatched away from her last year by Germany’s Angelique Kerber, who upset her in the 2016 Australian Open final.
“That was a bonus,” Serena said of her top ranking. “I didn’t know actually. It feels good. I like being on top, so I really like that feeling.”
It was a nervous opening to the match from both of the Williams sisters.
Neither could hold a serve in the opening four games of the first set before Venus finally achieved a hold in the fifth game.
Serena, the pre-game favourite and highest seed of the combatants at two, compared to Venus’s 13, was all over the shop emotionally in the early exchanges.
Serena was forced into a mixture of frustration and anger- at one point breaking her racquet – brought upon by the quality play of Venus, which Serena even applauded at one point in the set.
The nerves Serena showed at the start of the match began to evaporate though with a crucial break in the seventh game.
A 4-3 lead for Serena quickly became a one set to love advantage in 41 minutes.
The second set was more like the Williams sisters we have come to know.
Big serving leading to confident holds and breathtaking baseline rallies drew the oohs and aahs of the adoring crowd.
As gutsy as Venus was for three holds in the opening six games of the second set, she would let her guard down in a set-changing seventh game when her serve was broken.
Serena knows all too well the threat that Venus poses and was not taking any chances, keeping her foot on the accelerator and racing through the eighth game to love, with four serves that were nigh on unplayable.
As the photographers gathered to capture the winning moment, Venus made one last push, extending the set by another game, but Serena would eventually close out the match in a mirror image to the first set, a 6-4 score in 41 minutes.
As you would expect, Venus was gracious in defeat, reaffirming how close the sisters are.
“She’s a champion on the court,” Venus said of her younger sister. “She knows how to take it to that next level. Then off the court, obviously she’s an amazing person, an awesome sister. I couldn’t ask for much more.”
But it would no doubt hurt Venus at the same time.
Venus was denied an eighth grand slam title and remains without an Australian Open title after three final appearances.
“It was great to have an opportunity to play for the title,” Venus said. “That’s exactly where I want to be standing during these grand slams, is on finals day, having an opportunity. That’s the highlight of all this, is to be in that moment.”
It was Serena’s 72nd career title.
Worryingly for her rivals, there appears to be no slowing down for Serena, mentally or physically.
After chasing down grand slam title 23 – ‘reaching Jordan’ as Serena put it – she can set her sights on 24, the mark of the legendary Court.
2017 Australian Open
Final: Serena Williams (USA) d Venus Williams (USA) 6-4 6-4
