Serena Williams Beats Venus Williams to Win 7th Australian Open Title

Serena Williams‘s seemingly easy straight set victory (6-4, 6-4) over big sister Venus Williams at the Australian Open gave her back her No. 1 ranking.

But most importantly, the Australian Open title gives Serena 23 Grand Slam singles titles — breaking a tie with Steffi Graf for the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open-era.

“I’ve been chasing it for a really long time,” Williams said, referring to elusive #23. “When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here. It’s a great feeling. No better place to do it than Melbourne.”

Venus shrugged off speculation that she helped her sister win.

“That’s my little sister, guys,” Venus Williams said, pointing at Serena during the post-match ceremony.

Speaking directly to her sister, she said:

“Congratulations Serena on No. 23. I have been there right with you. Some of them I lost right there against you. I guess that’s weird, but it’s been an awesome thing. Your win has always been my win. I think you know that. And all the time I couldn’t be there, wouldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there. I’m enormously proud of you. You mean the world to me.”

But there’s still work to be done. Serena is still one title short of Margaret Court’s career record of 24 major singles titles. And Serena has never won the coveted Golden Slam — all 4 major titles (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) and an Olympic gold record in the same calendar year. That record is still held by Graf.

Earlier in the week, Williams displayed her curves in a new lingerie campaign for Berlei.
The 35-year-old tennis ace posed for the Do It For Yourself campaign to showcase Berlei’s new autumn/winter 2017 sports collection.

Serena said: “Do it for yourself is really about focusing on ourselves as women. “Celebrating our female strength and power and beauty. We need to take time for ourselves, invest in ourselves, and be strong. Not only for yourself, but to support and encourage other women in your lives.”