Long climb completed
MELBOURNE, Australia — Don't ever tell Serena Williams she can't do something. Her response will be devastating for her opponents.
Just ask top-ranked Maria Sharapova.
Sharp and intensely focused from the start, Williams simply overwhelmed Sharapova 6-1, 6-2 Saturday to win the Australian Open and her eighth Grand Slam title.
"It was an awesome win, because I had so many critics. So many people ... saying negative things," Williams said. "Saying I wasn't fit, when I felt that I was really fit, and I could last three sets.
"It's always like, tell me no and I'll show you that I can do it. I get the greatest satisfaction just holding up the Grand Slam trophy and proving everyone wrong."
Williams was eager for the French Open to start, even though it's four months away.
"I'm ready to start training on the clay already," she said. "I saw some things here I want to work on. I'm ready to do that now, ready to take my game to a new level."
Only the second unseeded woman to win the Australian title in the Open era, Williams came into the tournament ranked No. 81 after playing in only four tournaments last year due to a bad knee. She will jump to No. 14 when the new rankings come out next week.
It was the 25-year-old American's first title in 15 tournaments since winning the 2005 Australian Open, and the most dominating win in a completed championship match at Melbourne Park since Steffi Graf beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6-0, 6-2 in 1994.
"She came out today and she really played flawless tennis," said a downcast Sharapova, the reigning U.S. Open champion who had a 13-match Grand Slam winning streak snapped. "It was my mom's birthday today and I couldn't win for her."
With occasional showers and a strong wind outside, the roof was closed on packed Rod Laver Arena. Williams saw it as an omen: She won her other two titles here, in 2003 and 2005, with the roof closed.
Williams, who had started slow in her earlier matches, was clearly into it from the start this time. She was pouncing on Sharapova's second serves, standing inside the baseline to send them back faster than they came over.
"She started doing that from the beginning of the match," said Sharapova, who won only a quarter of her second serves. "She was aggressive from all her shots. She was going for it, making most of it."
