Serena Williams is the most prolific grand slam winner of the open era after claiming her 23rd major singles title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory against her sister Venus here in Melbourne on Saturday. The triumph also made Serena a seven-times winner of the Australian Open, while Venus had to be content with offering a reminder that her own greatness remains very much in the present tense.

Whatever the result of this finale a record was going to tumble. Venus – 36-years-old, nine years on from her most recent grand slam triumph and playing in her 73rd major tournament – stood a chance of becoming the oldest champion of the open era. The woman who remains the record-holder now? Well, Serena, of course.

This was the ninth time the sisters had met in a grand slam final. Eight years on from their last, it was also surely the least likely. The early stages showed inside knowledge counts for plenty. Serena broke in the first game by guessing correctly, or perhaps just outright intuiting, that her sister would go wide to her forehand with a smash at the net. Not only did Serena retrieve it, she sent a quite sensational winner fizzing past Venus.

Serena Williams delivers sibling empathy to stand tall as greatest of her generation | Kevin Mitchell Read more

That set a pattern – the first four games were all breaks. Throughout the tournament Serena’s weapons-grade first serve had been such a calling card she had not dropped a set, nor faced a tie‑break, but now she was getting a taste of her own medicine as Venus attacked with relish.

Venus held first, sitting dead still and staring fiercely ahead at the changeover. It had been a slightly odd opening 25 minutes. For many in the crowd there was a genuine unreality about it all. By the third game – at the insistence of an agitated Serena, who snapped a racket in frustration – they had to be reminded by the chair umpire to stay silent during points.

Once both players had finally held, Serena made her move, breaking in the seventh game of the first set and then holding with a looping forehand winner. She closed it out 6-4 in 41 minutes, and by then led for aces (7-4) and winners (16-11), and was dealing better with being worked around the court by her savvy and experienced opponent.

Early in the second set it stayed on serve, Serena holding with conviction. But she met with plenty of roadblocks she had not encountered in her marauding run through the rest of the draw. The third game was ample demonstration of everything remarkable about Venus’s run. She saved three break points before advancing to the net and clattering a forehand winner that ignited the stadium.

The seventh game proved decisive, containing the most gripping rally of the match, which Serena won, and also the first successful break of the second set, which Serena also claimed. She was on the path to victory, but Venus made her work until the end.

After one last rally for the ages, which Venus won to pile on the pressure at 15-30, Serena finally served out in 81 minutes, dropping to the ground and then embracing her sister in the middle of the court she had dominated so thoroughly all week.

There was a certain symmetry at play in all of this. It was here where the sisters first faced each other in a grand slam match, way back in 1998, when a win to Venus grabbed attention worldwide. This is also where they contested their only shared three-set grand slam final, in 2003. Serena got that one.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Serena Williams holds her trophy after defeating sister Venus. Photograph: Aaron Favila/AP

In the lead-up to this final Serena had been right about many things, not least that this was an amazing story no matter what the result. Venus was eight years on from her last appearance at a grand slam final, a time when she has battled her toughest opponent of all – Sjögren’s syndrome, an auto-immune disease that causes joint pain and fatigue.

It was also a long stretch of time when every second question she has faced has been “When will you retire? It must be close?” At turns politely, jokingly, mock-indignantly, Venus has always dispatched those inquiries like another double-handed backhand into open court, when what she might have said is that she is a prideful competitor and a champion and probably could not stand the lowered stakes and intensity‑free world of legends matches and exhibitions.

Like her sister, Venus Williams is unquestionably great, but we had wrongly assumed that her salad days were behind her. What she has proved in the past fortnight is that greatness is also about what happens in that lull when they write you off and tell you you are done – all those years when time and luck rob you of moments as big as this. Venus Williams has spent close to a decade in that lull, but to get here and do this has reminded us all that she, too, is one of the game’s great treasures. As Serena said of her sister: “I don’t like the word comeback. She never left.”

Likewise, Serena further confirmed her rare distinction: to be equally great in the time before and after turning 30 – an especially remarkable achievement in a sport that historically favours youth and renewal. Now she steps past Steffi Graf and into a spot in history all her own, where she belongs.

Both winner and loser were champions, their glory unquestioned. Venus had alluded to this possibility in the lead-up to this match. “People relate to the champion,” she said. “They also relate to the person also who didn’t win because we all have those moments in our life.”

But now, Serena Williams is Australian Open champion again, and her sister did indeed experience that difficult moment she had forewarned. Equally, the rest of us were reminded that when she is finally done with big-time tennis, Venus Williams will be the one to let us know.</s>By The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A look at the Australian Open on Saturday:

MEN’S DOUBLES FINAL RESULT: No. 4 Henri Kontinen and Jamie Peers def. No. 3 Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 7-5, 7-5.

STAT OF THE DAY: 23 — The number of Grand Slam singles titles won by Serena Williams, most in the Open era.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s the stuff that legends are made of. I couldn’t have written a better story.” — Serena Williams after defeating her sister, Venus, to win her 23rd major title at the Australian Open.

MEN’S FINAL SUNDAY: No. 9 Rafael Nadal vs. No. 17 Roger Federer.

SUNDAY FORECAST: Mostly sunny. High of 29 C (85 F).</s>Serena Williams is already having an epic 2017!

Superstar tennis pro Serena Williams has won her 7th Australian Open singles title as well as taken back her number one world after beating big sister Venus Williams.

Serena’s Australia Open win gives her a 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking the tie with tennis legend Steffi Graf. Can we finally just admit Serena is the GOAT?!</s>Tennis star Serena Williams has taken her record-setting 23rd Grand Slam singles title with a win against her sister Venus at the Australian Open Saturday.

The win moves Serena to the top spot in the number of major tennis titles during the Open era, which began in 1968.

It's Serena's seventh Australian Open victory, winning 6-4 6-4 against her older sister. She now returns to the No. 1 spot after losing that ranking in September to Angelique Kerber.

Despite an intense game in the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, the two sisters were all smiles and compliments in the post-match ceremony.

"There's no way I could be at 23 without her," Serena, 35, said of her sister. "Thank you Venus for inspiring me to be the best player I can be."

"Serena Williams. That's my little sister, guys," Venus said. "Your win has always been my win."

The last time the two sisters faced off for the Australian Open was in 2003, which resulted in a win for Serena. She now has a 17-11 career record against Venus, which includes a record of 10-5 of Grand Slams, The Associated Press reports.

With a combined age of 71, the sisters made up the oldest women's Grand Slam final. At 36, Venus was the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 23 years.

"I really elevated my game somehow," Serena told ESPN afterward, saying she still thinks she's in the prime of her career. "I really wanted to get to 23 so bad, more than you can imagine" she added.

The Australian Open continues Sunday, when Roger Federer is scheduled to face off against Rafael Nadal in the men's final.</s>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Serena Williams has won her record 23rd Grand Slam singles title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over her older sister Venus in Saturday’s Australian Open final.

With her record seventh Australian title, the 35-year-old Williams moved ahead of Steffi Graf for the most major titles in the Open era. Margaret Court won 24 majors, but collected 13 of those before the Open era.

The victory at Rod Laver Arena also ensured Serena Williams will regain the top ranking, which she lost in September after 186 straight weeks when Angelique Kerber won the U.S. Open.

It was Serena’s seventh win in nine all-Williams Grand Slam finals, and the first since Wimbledon in 2009. It was 36-year-old, No. 13-seeded Venus Williams’ first trip back to a major final in 7 ½ years.

Williams has won 15 majors since last losing to Venus in a Grand Slam final, at Wimbledon in 2008.

Venus walked over to Serena’s side of the net and the sisters hugged.

“This was a tough one — I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus,” Serena Williams said. “She’s an amazing person. There’s no way I’d be at 23 without her. She’s my inspiration and the only reason I’m standing here today. Thanks for inspiring me to be the best player I can be.

The match didn’t live up to its classic billing, with nerves and tension causing uncharacteristic mistakes and unforced errors and four consecutive service breaks before Venus finally held for a 3-2 lead. That included a game when Serena had game point but served back-to-back double-faults and three in all to give up the break.

There were six service breaks in all. Both players were relatively subdued, except for Serena’s racket smashing spike on the court in the third game that earned her a code violation.

After making the three double-faults in the fourth game, however, the younger Williams didn’t face another break point in the 1-hour, 22-minute match.

In terms of total years, it was the oldest Grand Slam women’s final in the Open era with the Williams sisters combining for 71 years, 11 months.

Serena Williams now has a 17-11 career record against her sister, including a 10-5 advantage at Grand Slams.

Serena hadn’t wanted to talk about the No. 23 before or during the tournament. She finally can now.

She tied Steffi Graf’s mark of 22 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open era by winning Wimbledon last year. She missed her chance to break Graf’s record with an upset semifinal loss at the U.S. Open — for the second year running — and hasn’t wanted to talk about the number 23 since arriving in Australia.

Until this trip, Venus hadn’t reached another major final since 2008. She didn’t make the second week for a few years as she came to terms with an energy-sapping illness since being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, and made her comeback to the semifinals at Wimbledon last year.</s>Serena Williams will meet Venus Williams in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday.

The Williams sisters last met in a Grand Slam final in 2009, when Serena beat Venus at Wimbledon. Venus Williams last won a major in 2008, when she beat her sister at Wimbledon.

Serena is looking to win her 23rd Grand Slam title, which would give her sole possession of the Open Era record for major titles. Currently, she is tied with Steffi Graf at 22.

Venus Williams beat CoCo Vandeweghe in the semifinals, while Serena Williams beat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.</s>MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams has won her record 23rd Grand Slam singles title, and her sister was right there on court to give her a congratulatory hug.

The all-Williams final — the first at the Australian Open since Serena won the first edition of the family rivalry here in 2003 — went to the younger sibling 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday night.

With her record seventh Australian title, Williams, 35, moved ahead of Steffi Graf for the most major titles in the Open era. Margaret Court has the all-time record and was also in the crowd for the final at Rod Laver Arena.

Court won 24 majors, but collected 13 of those before the Open era which began in 1968 after the sport became professional.

The victory also ensured Serena Williams will regain the top ranking, which she lost in September after 186 straight weeks when Angelique Kerber won the U.S. Open.

It was Serena’s seventh win in nine all-Williams Grand Slam finals, and the first since Wimbledon in 2009. It was 36-year-old, No. 13-seeded Venus Williams’ first trip back to a major final in 7½ years.

Serena sat on the court, holding both arms up to celebrate, before Venus walked over to her sister’s side of the net for a hug.

“This was a tough one,” Serena Williams said. “I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus, she’s an amazing person — she’s my inspiration.

“There’s no way I would be at 23 without her — there’s no way I would be at one without her. Thank you Venus for inspiring me to be the best player I can be and inspiring me to work hard.”

Williams has won 15 majors since last losing to Venus in a Grand Slam final, at Wimbledon in 2008. That was the seventh and last major title that the older of the Williams sisters won.

Venus hadn’t made the second week of a major for a few years as she came to terms with an energy-sapping illness since being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, and made her return to the semifinals at Wimbledon last year.

“She’s made an amazing comeback … I don’t like the word comeback,” Serena Williams said. “She’s never left. She’s been such a great champion.”

The match didn’t live up to its classic billing, with nerves and tension causing uncharacteristic mistakes and unforced errors and four consecutive service breaks before Venus finally held for a 3-2 lead in the first set. That included a game when Serena had game point but served back-to-back double-faults and three in all to give up the break.

There were six service breaks in all. Both players were relatively subdued, except for Serena’s racket smashing spike on the court in the third game that earned her a code violation.

After the fourth game, however, Serena Williams didn’t face another break point in the 1-hour, 22-minute match.

“Serena Williams, that’s my little sister, guys. Congratulations Serena on No. 23,” Venus said. “I have been right there with you. Some of them I have lost right there against you. It’s been an awesome thing, your win has always been my win, you know that. All the times I couldn’t be there, wouldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there.”

Venus stayed in the match with 21 winners, and won the longest rally of the match, but couldn’t seem to keep up with her sister as the match progressed.

In terms of total years, it was the oldest Grand Slam women’s final in the Open era with the Williams sisters combining for 71 years, 11 months. Roger Federer will be aiming to increase his all-time men’s record to 18 when he takes on 14-time major winner Rafael Nadal on Sunday night, completing the singles finals lineup of all 30-somethings.

Serena got a little bit superstitious Down Under, and hadn’t wanted to talk about the No. 23. “Now we can talk about it,” she said.

Now there’s a limited-edition racket — 23 to be released, with proceeds going to The Serena Williams Fund — and a pair of custom-made shoes — sent by former NBA star Michael Jordan. It had Jordan’s usual jersey number No. 23 stamped on the heel, helping to provide some synchronicity for the numbers involved.

— Twins Bob and Mike Bryan missed out on a doubles record late Saturday, losing the final 7-5, 7-5 to Henri Kontinen of Finland and John Peers of Australia.The third-seeded Bryan brothers were trying to win their 17th Grand Slam title, which would have tied them with John Newcombe for the most titles all-time.</s>Serena Williams is alone at the top when it comes to Grand Slam achievement in the Open era.

By defeating her sister Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the Australian Open final Saturday, Serena Williams won her 23rd major title, breaking the record she had shared with Steffi Graf.

Serena Williams has experienced some high-anxiety moments in major matches, and she did again on Saturday. In the early going, she smashed her racket in frustration after falling down on the baseline, and she served three tentative double-faults in a span of four points.

However, she soon settled down — and made history. Serena closed the match on her first championship point, charging the net with a forehand that Venus could not successfully return.

As difficult as it must have been to play against her sister, the enormous reward will likely help compensate for any mental anguish.

It’s Serena Williams’ seventh Australian Open title and second in the past three tournaments in Melbourne. She also has seven titles at Wimbledon, six at the US Open and three at the French Open.

She remains one Grand Slam championship behind the all-time leader, Margaret Court, who has 24 titles in the Open and amateur eras. Court, an Australian who won 13 majors before the dawn of the Open era in 1968, was among those applauding the Williams sisters at Rod Laver Arena.

Saturday’s victory also means Williams will regain the world No. 1 ranking from Angelique Kerber, who was eliminated in the fourth round in Melbourne. Next week will be Williams’ 310th at the top of tennis.

Venus Williams, a seven-time Slam champion, was in the final of the Australian Open for the first time since 2003.

In an on-set interview with ESPN, Serena Williams received a letter of congratulations and a pair of shoes from NBA Hall of Famer and legendary No. 23 Michael Jordan. One shoe was red and black — the Chicago Bulls‘ colors — and the other was a more Serena-esque pink.

“Thank you, Michael. I can’t believe I’m saying thank you Michael Jordan,” Williams said. “He’s the greatest.”

Tennis icon Billie Jean King also sent a pair of tweets Saturday morning to honor the Williams sisters.

After the match, the sisters expressed their love and respect for each other in moving speeches to the crowd.

“Serena Williams … that’s my little sister, guys,” said Venus, who was up first, laughing. “Congratulations, Serena, on No. 23. I have been right there with you.

“Your win has always been my win. I think you know that I’m enormously proud of you. You mean the world to me.”

“I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus,” she said. “She’s an amazing person. There’s no way I’d be at 23 without her. There’s no way I’d be at one.”

Venus Williams made her deepest run in a Slam draw since the 2009 Wimbledon final, when she also lost to Serena. But to compete in this crucible, Venus needed to serve fairly flawlessly. Her serve was broken four times Saturday.

When they posed for the obligatory prematch photos, Venus smiled and flashed her teeth; Serena smiled a coy, tight-lipped smile.

Serena Williams’ nerves emerged with those early double-faults and the cracked racket, but her break of Venus’ serve in the seventh game proved to be the difference.

There has never been a front-runner like Serena. She is now 21-0 after winning the first set in a major final. After the fourth game of the first set, the younger Williams didn’t face another break point in the 1-hour, 22-minute match.

In the second set, the seventh game again proved unlucky for Venus, who was broken to give Serena the decisive edge.

The matchup between 36-year-old Venus and 35-year-old Serena was the oldest for a women’s major final in the Open era, with a combined 71 years, 11 months. Williams also became the oldest Slam winner in the Open era at 35 years, 124 days.

Serena Williams now has a 17-11 career record against her sister, including a 10-5 advantage at Grand Slams and a 7-2 edge in Slam finals.

It was 19 years ago that they first met here in Melbourne, with Venus winning a second-round match. In 2003, they played their first Australian Open final, and a steely Serena escaped with a three-set win.

After Venus’ final errant shot, Serena fell back awkwardly and sat down. Venus came running to her side of the net and wrapped her long arms around her little sister. They held on for what seemed like a long, long time.

When Venus won a match this fortnight, Serena felt a sense of urgency to win her own. The match over, they chatted nonstop while posing with their respective trophies.

“She’s the only reason the Williams sisters exist,” Serena said, “inspiring me to be the best player I can be.”

This story is featured on ESPN.com</s>MELBOURNE — Serena Williams continued to make history at the Australian Open when she won her 23rd career Grand Slam title on Saturday night.

The 35-year-old Serena Williams had to turn aside her older sister, Venus, at 36 the oldest Australian Open finalist in the Open Era, in a 6-4, 6-4 final victory. This was the Grand Slam contested by the two oldest women’s finalists in the Open Era.

The two sisters shared a long hug on court after the 1 hour, 22 minute match, once again, seeming to defy any possibility of sibling rivalry.

“I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus, she’s an amazing person,” Serena said of her sister. “There’s no way I’d be at 23 (titles), or I’d be at one. She’s my inspiration. Thank you Venus for inspiring me to be the best player I could be.”

This was Venus Williams’ 15th Grand Slam final — she’s won seven in her career, but has lost both Australian Open finals she’s played.

This was Venus’ first trip to a Grand Slam final since she lost to Serena at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships. In 2011, she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome and it took her time to be able to combat the autoimmune disease.

“To enjoy this moment and be breathing, this is a beautiful thing,” Venus said. “I’m so happy to be able to play in front of you. Serena WIlliams — that’s my little sister, you guys. Congratulation Serena on winning No. 23 and I’ve been there alongside you, sometimes against you. I’m enormously proud of you.”

Serena continues her record as the oldest women’s champion at a major in the Open Era — she also held that record when she won the 2016 Wimbledon title at 34 years and 287 days old.

The victory moves Serena ahead of Steffi Graf, who has 22 Grand Slam titles, to own the record of Grand Slam titles won by a woman in the Open Era.

Serena is now just one Grand Slam singles trophy behind equaling Australian Margaret Court’s record of 24 major titles that bridged the pre-Open and Open Eras. Court was on hand in Rod Laver Arena watching as Serena Williams inched closer to her record.

Serena’s win also returns her to the world No. 1 ranking, which she surrendered to Angelique Kerber after the German won her second Grand Slam title of 2016 at the U.S. Open in September.

The sisters have played 28 times in their career with this being their 15th at a Grand Slam. They played their first career match against each other here at Melbourne Park in 1998 — it was a second round match that the 17-year-old Venus won over the 16-year-old Serena.

Serena has now beaten Venus 17 times with 10 of their outings at the majors. They’ve played in nine Grand Slam finals with Serena winning seven of those meetings.</s>Serena Williams wins her seventh Australian Open singles title, beating her sister Venus 6-4, 6-4 in the final in Melbourne on Saturday. It is Serena’s 23rd Grand Slam title, a record in the open-era
Serena Williams defeats her sister Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 to win the women's singles and an Open era-record 23rd Grand Slam singles title.