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Perfect 10 for Serena
Serena Williams stole the show on Saturday, sweeping her fourth Australian Open title and snatching the world number one ranking with a lopsided thrashing of Dinara Safina.
Serena Williams stole the show on Saturday, sweeping her fourth Australian Open title and snatching the world number one ranking with a lopsided thrashing of Dinara Safina.
The larger-than-life American needed just 59 glittering minutes to floor her Russian opponent 6-0, 6-3, scoop 2 million Australian dollars ($1.28m) and join an elite club of players to have won at least 10 grand slam singles titles.
“That's just uber-cool,” she grinned. “When I think of these greats I don't necessarily think of my name, I think of them.
"The 'Serena Slam' would be awesome to do again," she said of the term she coined for winning four straight grand slam tournaments in 2002-2003. "With the way Dinara is playing and all these other girls, it will be tough but I'm in it for the challenge."
The Australian Open is now Williams's most successful slam. She also has three U.S. Opens, two Wimbledons and a French Open crown. Her haul places her seventh in the list of women's grand slam title leaders, but some way behind Margaret Court with 24.
Mahesh-Knowles lose
Bob and Mike Bryan won their seventh Grand Slam doubles title when they bounced back to crush Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles 2-6, 7-5, 6-0.
The Americans looked headed for defeat when Bhupathi and Knowles raced through the first set. But after the Bryans won the hard-fought second, it was plain sailing in the third.
