Williams wins fifth Australian Open title
ESPN.com,
Monday, February 01, 2010 -
Serena Williams won her second-straight Grand Slam title Saturday in Melbourne when she defeated Justine Henin, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Her win marks her fifth Australian Open title and 12th Grand Slam championship overall. She is now tied with Women’s Sports Foundation founder, Billie Jean King.
"Billie, we are tied," Williams said. "So I've reached my goal."
It was not an easy match for Williams, who faced the fresh-out-of-retirement Henin, who was unranked and unseeded but who beat four seeded players en route to the Australian Open final, including No. 5 and Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva in the second round.
"It was definitely a tough match mentally and physically," Williams said. "We were both out there to prove something, and I think we did at the end of the day."
Henin saved two break points to hold for 3-3 in a four-game run in the second set, winning 13 of the last 14 points in a dominant finish to the set. She maintained the superiority early in the deciding set, increasing that to 18 of 19 points before Williams held serve to even the third set at 1-1.
Williams, with her right thigh and left knee heavily taped as it had been for much of the tournament broke Henin to go up 2-1. The two then traded breaks, with Williams going up 3-2, a lead she never relinquished.
"I thought I was just giving it to her at that point," Williams said. "I didn't want to go out like that. I literally said to myself, 'I need to man up and start playing better.' "
Williams used an ace on her second serve to hold for a 4-2 lead, then broke again to move within a game of the title.
With her victory Saturday, Serena Williams took an 8-6 lead in career meetings with Justine Henin.
"It's good to have her back, it's exciting," Williams said of Henin. "She can definitely be No. 1, especially with our ranking system, if she keeps doing well."