<p>The world number one stretched her Melbourne success run to five titles after earlier wins in 2003, 2005, 2007 and last year. <br /><br />Her 11th Grand Slam singles title came a day after the 28-year-old lifted the doubles crown with her sister Venus Williams.<br /><br />Williams took a tight first set then had to hold off a charging Henin to deny the Belgian a fairytale ending to her tennis comeback in a thrilling two hours seven minutes final on Rod Laver Arena.<br /><br />"Justine's had such a fabulous tournament and she gave me such a run today," Williams said. "It could have gone either way."<br />The American claimed her 12th Grand Slam with the win, putting her alongside fellow American Billie Jean King on the list of all time major winners.<br />It was fitting that the final was played in front of King and Australian great Margaret Smith Court, who won a record 24 Grand Slams, along with a host of other former champions.<br />Williams was made to work hard by the tenacious Henin, playing only her second tournament since coming out of an 18-month retirement and needing a wildcard to enter.<br /><br />In the end it was Williams' sheer power that won out as her huge serves and booming groundstrokes eventually wore Henin down and forced costly errors.<br />Williams served better throughout, making 64 percent of her first serves as opposed to Henin's 55 percent, with many of those unplayable.<br /><br />Henin showed, however, that she is still a real force and capable of adding to her seven Grand Slam titles.<br />"It's been a very emotional two weeks for me," said the Belgian. "I thought it would never happen again. But I can say this, I will see you again next year."<br />Williams opened the match with a swinging ace but struggled after that, her first two service games lasting eight minutes each.<br />Henin had her chances to break but it was the Belgian who cracked first, losing her next service game to love to give Williams the advantage.<br />Henin had another opportunity in the next game, which Williams saved but the American couldn't save yet another when serving at 4-2 and the set was back on serve.<br /><br />Games went with serve until 4-5 when Henin sent down two double faults to give Williams set point, which she took when a backhand from Henin clipped net cord and landed just wide.<br />Williams came out attacking at the start of the second and had her chance to break Henin and take a 2-0 lead when she had 15-40, but Henin fought back to save her serve and then broke Williams to love in the next game.<br />Williams showed just why she is such a champion when she broke right back to level the set at 2-2 only for Henin to attack again at 3-3 and break the defending champion for the second time in the set.<br /><br />She then held to love and broke Williams to love to win 10 consecutive points and five straight games to even the match up at one set apiece. <br /><br />Henin kept the momentum going as she won her opening serve to love and had Williams at 15-40, but the American stopped the flow, held serve and then broke Henin to take an early advantage in the decider.<br />"I just thought 'I've got to 'man up', this is my chance'," Williams said.<br />"I thought I had one more set and I just had to get through it."<br />Henin came right back, breaking Williams on her second break point to put the set back on serve, only to lose her next serve when her trademark backhand sailed long.<br />Williams then held to go ahead 4-2 and broke again as Henin appeared to tire.<br />The American came out and served two aces on her way to 40-0 and three championship points.<br />Henin saved one but couldn't save the next as a powerful Williams backhand left her stranded on the baseline.</p>
<p>The world number one stretched her Melbourne success run to five titles after earlier wins in 2003, 2005, 2007 and last year. <br /><br />Her 11th Grand Slam singles title came a day after the 28-year-old lifted the doubles crown with her sister Venus Williams.<br /><br />Williams took a tight first set then had to hold off a charging Henin to deny the Belgian a fairytale ending to her tennis comeback in a thrilling two hours seven minutes final on Rod Laver Arena.<br /><br />"Justine's had such a fabulous tournament and she gave me such a run today," Williams said. "It could have gone either way."<br />The American claimed her 12th Grand Slam with the win, putting her alongside fellow American Billie Jean King on the list of all time major winners.<br />It was fitting that the final was played in front of King and Australian great Margaret Smith Court, who won a record 24 Grand Slams, along with a host of other former champions.<br />Williams was made to work hard by the tenacious Henin, playing only her second tournament since coming out of an 18-month retirement and needing a wildcard to enter.<br /><br />In the end it was Williams' sheer power that won out as her huge serves and booming groundstrokes eventually wore Henin down and forced costly errors.<br />Williams served better throughout, making 64 percent of her first serves as opposed to Henin's 55 percent, with many of those unplayable.<br /><br />Henin showed, however, that she is still a real force and capable of adding to her seven Grand Slam titles.<br />"It's been a very emotional two weeks for me," said the Belgian. "I thought it would never happen again. But I can say this, I will see you again next year."<br />Williams opened the match with a swinging ace but struggled after that, her first two service games lasting eight minutes each.<br />Henin had her chances to break but it was the Belgian who cracked first, losing her next service game to love to give Williams the advantage.<br />Henin had another opportunity in the next game, which Williams saved but the American couldn't save yet another when serving at 4-2 and the set was back on serve.<br /><br />Games went with serve until 4-5 when Henin sent down two double faults to give Williams set point, which she took when a backhand from Henin clipped net cord and landed just wide.<br />Williams came out attacking at the start of the second and had her chance to break Henin and take a 2-0 lead when she had 15-40, but Henin fought back to save her serve and then broke Williams to love in the next game.<br />Williams showed just why she is such a champion when she broke right back to level the set at 2-2 only for Henin to attack again at 3-3 and break the defending champion for the second time in the set.<br /><br />She then held to love and broke Williams to love to win 10 consecutive points and five straight games to even the match up at one set apiece. <br /><br />Henin kept the momentum going as she won her opening serve to love and had Williams at 15-40, but the American stopped the flow, held serve and then broke Henin to take an early advantage in the decider.<br />"I just thought 'I've got to 'man up', this is my chance'," Williams said.<br />"I thought I had one more set and I just had to get through it."<br />Henin came right back, breaking Williams on her second break point to put the set back on serve, only to lose her next serve when her trademark backhand sailed long.<br />Williams then held to go ahead 4-2 and broke again as Henin appeared to tire.<br />The American came out and served two aces on her way to 40-0 and three championship points.<br />Henin saved one but couldn't save the next as a powerful Williams backhand left her stranded on the baseline.</p>
