Serena Grabs Australian Open Singles Title Number Five
January 30, 2010
In a final that pretty much lived up to expectations Serena Williams has finally been able to claim back-to-back Australian Open title. She ends her run of four titles that were all won in odd years which started with the 2003 title. Serena is the first female player to win back-to-back titles since Jennifer Capriati in the early 2000′s.
Serena took the match by defeating the 2004 champion Justine Henin 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. The aspect of her game that probably got Serena the title was her serve. She sent down 12 aces to four and only served three doubles faults compared to six from Henin. A huge serve on a break point quite often prevented Henin breaking early in the match.
Serena fought off break points in the first two games and also got an early break to lead 4-1. Henin won the next three games to level things up at 4-4 before Serena broke again to take the first set.
A key stat for the match was that Serena converted six of her 11 break-point opportunities, while the Henin was 5-for-16 on break point chances. As mentioned earlier the serve was a big factor in the match. Henin only served at 50% compared to 64%.
The shotmaking was quite impressive at times although both players were guilty of too many unforced errors. Quite often they came just from regulation back and forth stroke play and are not what you would expect from the best players in the game.
Henin was playing in her second tournament since making her comeback to tennis and as she did in the Brisbane event she fell one match short of the perfect comeback. In Brisbane she was runner-up to Kim Clijsters. You still have to give Henin credit for making the final in just her first grand slam since the return to tennis.
With the French Open up next on the grand slam calendar you would have to give Henin a good shot at grabbing that title. She dominated the clay at Roland Garros before her shock retirement in 2008 having won three titles in four years.
Serena has now won 12 grand slam singles titles to join Billie Jean King on the all-time win list. The Williams sisters also teamed up to win the doubles title.
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