Serena storms to title

Serena Williams stole the show yesterday, sweeping her fourth Australian Open title and snatching the world number one ranking with a lopsided thrashing of Dinara Safina.

The larger-than-life American needed just 59 glittering minutes to floor her Russian opponent 6-0 6-3, scoop 2 million Australian dollars ($1.28m) and join an elite club of players to have won at least 10 grand slam singles titles.

"That's just uber-cool," she grinned. "When I think of these greats I don't necessarily think of my name, I think of them.

"The 'Serena Slam' would be awesome to do again," she said of the term she coined for winning four straight grand slam tournaments in 2002-2003.

"With the way the other girls are playing it will be tough but I'm in it for the challenge."

The Australian Open is now Williams's most successful slam. She also has three US Opens, two Wimbledons and a French Open crown. Her haul places her seventh in the list of women's grand slam title leaders, but some way behind Australian Margaret Court with 24.

Had world number three Safina triumphed in the final she would have instead claimed the world number one spot, but that detail seemed scarcely credible on the evidence of yesterday's thrashing.

"I didn't spend one hour on the court... I was just a ball boy on the court today," said Safina.

Williams had never in her previous nine grand slam victories lost fewer games in a final - only her 2007 triumph over Maria Sharapova, matched it.

Once out of the traps Williams was off, racing through the opening set in only 22 minutes with Safina managing to win only eight points in the opening set.

There was more than a whiff of desperation on the southerly wind swirling round centre court at the beginning of the second set as Safina knew she had to stop the rot or go home.

She came out swinging and when she pummelled a backhand crosscourt winner to break Williams in the first game a roar went up around the crowd.

Safina desperately fought to consolidate that break but was powerless to prevent Williams from hitting right back with a clenched fist and a nod to herself.

Williams rolled through the next three games to go into a 4-1 lead.

Safina held to trail 4-2 and then Williams took to the service line again. She hammered down an ace to open before rolling her shoulder like a boxer loosening up.

It was not long before she delivered the knockout blow.

Men's doubles final: B. Bryan/M. Bryan bt Bhupathi/Knowles 2-6 7-5 6-0.