<div>Top seed Serena Williams clinched her 19th grand slam title with a 6-3 7-6(5) victory over Maria Sharapova in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday.<br /><br />It was Williams' sixth title at Melbourne Park and it moved her into a tie with fellow American Helen Wills Moody in third on the all-time list after she joined Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on 18 at last year's U.S. Open.<br /><br />Only Australia's Margaret Court (24) and Germany's Steffi Graf (22), who holds the record for the Open era, have more grand slam singles titles than the 33-year-old American.<br /><br />Williams had not lost to Sharapova since the 2004 WTA Finals, a run of 15 successive victories and was not about to let the Russian end that streak on Saturday.<br /><br />After Williams snatched a break in the first game, rain forced the players off court in the sixth for 12 minutes as officials closed the roof with the American serving at 3-2 and the score locked at 30-30.<br /><br />Williams, who has been battling a cold and cough the entire tournament, chose to head inside during the break while Sharapova waited courtside.<br /><br />She returned to Rod Laver Arena hacking like a seal and appeared to be gasping for breath, but then reeled off the next six points to establish a 5-2 lead.<br /><br />While Sharapova managed to break in the next game she was unable to consolidate and Williams broke to love to seal the first set in 47 minutes.<br /><br />Williams did not concede a point on serve until her third game of the second set while Sharapova struggled and was fighting to stay in the match.<br /><br />Even when she had break opportunities in the fifth and seventh games the American simply reached back and smashed down a succession of massive serves.<br /><br />Williams held a match point in the 10th game only for the Russian, who saved two match points in the second round against qualifier Alexandra Panova, to blast a forehand down the line.<br /><br />The American held two further match points in the tiebreak and thought she had sealed the title when she belted an ace only for umpire Alison Lang to call a let.<br /><br />Williams stood there looking bemused but composed herself to repeat the shot, smacking her 18th ace to win the match.</div>
<div>Top seed Serena Williams clinched her 19th grand slam title with a 6-3 7-6(5) victory over Maria Sharapova in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday.<br /><br />It was Williams' sixth title at Melbourne Park and it moved her into a tie with fellow American Helen Wills Moody in third on the all-time list after she joined Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on 18 at last year's U.S. Open.<br /><br />Only Australia's Margaret Court (24) and Germany's Steffi Graf (22), who holds the record for the Open era, have more grand slam singles titles than the 33-year-old American.<br /><br />Williams had not lost to Sharapova since the 2004 WTA Finals, a run of 15 successive victories and was not about to let the Russian end that streak on Saturday.<br /><br />After Williams snatched a break in the first game, rain forced the players off court in the sixth for 12 minutes as officials closed the roof with the American serving at 3-2 and the score locked at 30-30.<br /><br />Williams, who has been battling a cold and cough the entire tournament, chose to head inside during the break while Sharapova waited courtside.<br /><br />She returned to Rod Laver Arena hacking like a seal and appeared to be gasping for breath, but then reeled off the next six points to establish a 5-2 lead.<br /><br />While Sharapova managed to break in the next game she was unable to consolidate and Williams broke to love to seal the first set in 47 minutes.<br /><br />Williams did not concede a point on serve until her third game of the second set while Sharapova struggled and was fighting to stay in the match.<br /><br />Even when she had break opportunities in the fifth and seventh games the American simply reached back and smashed down a succession of massive serves.<br /><br />Williams held a match point in the 10th game only for the Russian, who saved two match points in the second round against qualifier Alexandra Panova, to blast a forehand down the line.<br /><br />The American held two further match points in the tiebreak and thought she had sealed the title when she belted an ace only for umpire Alison Lang to call a let.<br /><br />Williams stood there looking bemused but composed herself to repeat the shot, smacking her 18th ace to win the match.</div>