Serena Williams outmuscles Maria Sharapova to claim 19th grand slam
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ByEurosport
Updated 31/01/2015 at 12:50 GMT
Serena Williams battled past Maria Sharapova in a hard-fought 6-3 7-6(5) victory in the Australian Open women's final at Melbourne Park.
Serena Williams of the US holds the trophy as she celebrates after victory in her women's singles final match against Russia's Maria Sharapova on day thirteen of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 31, 2015 (AFP)
Image credit: AFP
Sharapova hadn't beaten Serena Williams for a decade, and from the moment that the Russian's serve was broken in the opening game of the match it didn't look like changing on Saturday,
Williams's 19th grand slam singles title sees her pull ahead of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in the all-time Open era list - and she is now just three titles away from Steffi Graf's record of 22.
"Gosh, where do I start? I have to thank God for this," Williams gushed at the trophy ceremony.
"I was down and out, and he helped me today, and I just said prayers and it just -- not to win but to be strong and to be healthy and in the end I was able to come through.
"I also have to congratulate Maria, who played a wonderful, wonderful match tonight. She really, really pushed me tonight, and she played so well. Gave us a great final for not only for you guys but for women's tennis."
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Serena was simply in charge throughout, and while Sharapova worked hard in the second set - saving one championship point while serving at 5-4 down - her titanic efforts simply saw her keep pace, and consistently made her seem as if she simply didn't have the firepower to deal with the American superstar.
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Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts after winning a key point in the final (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
Williams quickly roared 4-1 ahead in the tie-break and began pumping her fist early as she closed on her sixth Australian Open crown, some 12 years after the first.
But Sharapova once again dug in, getting it back to 5-4 - only for Williams to hit a clean return winner off the Sharapova second serve to earn two more championship points.
Sharapova saved the first of them with a thundering serve that almost floored the American, but Serena smashed a perfect ace to finish off the match.
Evn in that she showed her precision and perfection: her first serve appeared to be a clean ace and she dropped to the floor, but the umpire ruled that it had clipped the net.
Unruffled, Serena took aim once more - and again hit a perfect ace out wide to cement victory.
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Serena Williams (AFP)
Image credit: AFP
Sharapova was sanguine after yet another defeat at the hands of a player who has become her nemesis.
"I've got to congratulate Serena on creating history and on playing some of her best tennis. It's really an honour playing against her," said Sharapova, who also lost the 2007 final to Williams.
"I haven't beaten her in a really long time, but I love every time that I step on the court to play against her because she's been the best and, as a tennis player, you wanna play against the best."
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Maria Sharapova of Russia hits a return to Serena Williams
Image credit: Reuters
Williams arrived into the final with a 15 match winning streak against her fellow superstar, and looked well on her way in the early stages as she stormed to an early break.
As forecasted, the rains came early and the closed roof turned the Australian Open final into an indoor battle under the lights, but Williams refused to let up and roared through the first set 6-3.
Many expected the match to quickly fizzle out, as has so often been the case in their previous encounters, but Sharapova instead took a spade and dug her trench for set two.
Each time it appeared Williams was on the brink of a second set breakthrough, Sharapova was there to snuff out the danger. Soon enough, Sharapova began to land many of her own blows as she stole the baseline from Williams and punished every last short ball.
The second set would turn into an all-time classic, the quality sky high and tension so palpable as every winner from both sides was punctuated with violent fistpumps and screams of "c'mon" directed straight at the opposite rival.
The holds continued throughout the set, and as Sharapova did begin to pressure the Williams serve, the American responded with one of her most dazzling serving performances, firing down a breathtaking 15 aces in set two alone.
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Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova during 2015 Australian Open final
Image credit: AFP
No service breaks were seen throughout the second set, but Williams worked herself to within a game of victory at 5-4 and then to Championship Point. One point from defeat, Sharapova responded with a screaming forehand down-the-line winner. Williams could only applaud.
But Sharapova was only delaying the inevitable, as the gulf in serving was quickly exposed in the second set tiebreak. As Sharapova double faulted, Williams' serve soared.
It was appropriate, then, that on her third championship point, Williams smashed an ace out wide and dropped her racquet in wonder, only for the umpire to call a Let. The point was replayed, and so Williams had to decide where she would serve again.
So confident she is in the serve that is considered the greatest weapon of all time, she chose the same serve, the same spot, the same pace and the same ace.
Her reward was her 19th Grand Slam title, and puts her just three victories from catching Graf's 22 titles - a total that just a few short years ago seemed forever uncatchable.
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