Williams buries Sharapova, wins title

Reprinted from Saturday's editions

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams won her eighth and most improbable Grand Slam title, overwhelming top-seeded Maria Sharapova, 6-1, 6-2, in the Australian Open Saturday.

Only the second unseeded woman to win the Australian title in the Open era, Williams entered the tournament ranked No. 81 after spending most of last season on the sidelines because of a knee injury.

"I'm really enjoying this!" said Williams, who will jump to No. 14 next week.

It was her 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.

Williams finished off Sharapova with a backhand winner, then threw her racket in the air and dropped onto her back on the court.

The 25-year-old American, also the 2003 champion, got up and skipped over to the side of the court, swapping high-fives with mother Oracene Price and other people in the stands before jogging back onto the court with her arms raised in triumph.

"I'd like to thank my mom. I was a bad student this fortnight," Williams said. "I yelled at her, said some things under my breath. But she just kept coming. I really appreciate it."

Williams dedicated the title to her half-sister, Yetunde Price, who was shot to death in 2003.

"Most of all, I would like to dedicate this win to my sister, who's not here. Her name is Yetunde. I just love her so much," she said, her voice cracking. "I'll try not to get teary-eyed, but I said a couple of days ago, if I win this, it's going to be for her. So thanks, Tunde."

Chris O'Neill, who was ranked No. 111 when she won the 1978 title, was the only other unseeded woman to win an Australian Open.

The loss was Sharapova's worst in a Grand Slam tournament.

"You can never underestimate her as a performer. . . . I know what she's capable of, and she showed that today," said Sharapova, who will assume the No. 1 ranking from Justine Henin-Hardenne. "She has showed it many, many times."

Williams saved match points in her semifinal win over Sharapova here two years ago before beating Lindsay Davenport in the final.

Williams started aggressively and never relented in the kind of form that helped her dominate women's tennis as she completed the "Serena Slam" with four consecutive majors up to the 2003 Australian Open.

She took the first set in 26 minutes. The American broke Sharapova's serve to open the second set, then had consecutive double-faults to give the 19-year-old Russian a break-point chance in the next game. Williams fired an ace to save the break point and held on back-to-back errors by Sharapova.

Williams led by 4-0 before Sharapova held again, avoiding the most lopsided women's final ever in the Australian Open.

Serving for the match, Williams fired two aces to earn triple match point, then finished it off in 1 hour, 3 minutes with the backhand winner.

With occasional showers and a strong wind outside, the roof was closed on packed Rod Laver Arena.

Williams missed nine tournaments immediately after losing in the third round of the Australian Open last year and played only 16 matches in 2006, when she slumped to No. 140.

Sharapova entered the match on a 13-match winning streak in Grand Slams, having won the U.S. Open in September.

In the men's final today, top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland is aiming for a 10th major title against Grand Slam final newcomer Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.

Gonzalez overpowered Tommy Haas, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, in the semifinals Friday, a night after Federer beat No. 6 Andy Roddick, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.

In the junior girls' doubles final Friday, Evgeniya Rodina and Arina Rodionova of Russia defeated top-seeded Julia Cohen, a Philadelphia native, and Urszula Radwanska of Poland, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.