Williams downs Wozniacki for sixth US Open title

Serena Williams of USA returns a shot to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during the women's singles final match of the 2014 US Open in New York. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images/AFP)

NEW YORK: World number one Serena Williams won her 18th Grand Slam title at last, overpowering Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday (Sep 7) to capture her sixth US Open crown.

The world number one, shut out in the first three majors of the year, ended a year of waiting as she joined Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 majors - trailing only the 22 of Steffi Graf on the Open era list and six behind the all-time record held by Margaret Court.

Williams, who turns 33 later this month, said the goal of an 18th Grand Slam had hung over her "because I was joining Chrissy and Martina, someone I never thought me, Serena Williams, would be in that name group.

"Who am I?" said Williams, who grinned with delight as Evert and Navratilova presented her with a gold bracelet bearing an "18" charm. "I never thought you would mention my name with such greats and legends."

Williams lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows for the third straight year, joining Evert as the only woman in the Open era to win three titles in a row and matching Evert's six US Open triumphs.

She also offered words of encouragement to her beaten foe, her friend and confidant as both endured difficult months this year.

"Congratulations to Caroline, she knows the struggles I have had. She's a real nice person, a great friend. We text each other all the time. "You will win a Grand Slam title soon," Williams said.

But former world number one Wozniacki, owner of 22 WTA titles, still has that gaping hole on her resume. The Dane was just 19 when she lost to Kim Clijsters in the 2009 US Open final, and she hadn't returned to a Grand Slam title match until Sunday.

"Serena, you deserve it. You played better than me today and you deserve to be the champion," Wozniacki said. "You are an inspiration on the court and off it. You're an unbelievable champion and a great friend. The drinks are on you tonight."

With so much on the line for each woman, the first set was a tense affair with few fireworks. After saving a break point in the first game with an ace, Williams made Wozniacki pay for a tight first service game, in which the Dane double faulted twice.

Williams seized the break and a 2-0 lead with a pair of stinging service returns. It signalled a run of five breaks of serve that ended with Williams holding for a 5-2 lead, heaping the pressure on Wozniacki to hold for the first time. She did, fending off one break point to force Williams to serve it out.

With a set in hand, Williams was moving more freely. Even luck wasn't going Wozniacki's way, as a net cord bounce in Williams' favor ended a 20-shot rally to give the American a break chance in the first game of the second -- which she promptly converted.

Wozniacki's vaunted defensive skills were on full display as she doggedly ran down balls, but she couldn't match Williams' power and ability to conjure winners from all areas of the court.

Williams finished with 29 winners to Wozniacki's four, belting a forehand to give herself match point. She finished off her good friend after one hour and 15 minutes with a break of serve in the final game, dropping to her back and covering her face with her hands after Wozniacki fired a backhand long.

"When I went ahead match point, I thought there's no way I can lose now," Williams said. "I'm going to really fight for this point. Other than that I was really tight and nervous the whole match. There was so much on the line between getting to number 18, which has been on my shoulder for so long and I finally got it."

Williams began the year boldly, with the possibility of achieving a rare calendar Grand Slam talked up by her coach Patrick Mouratoglou before the Australian Open in January. That dream ended with a fourth-round exit at Melbourne.

An embarrassing second-round exit at Roland Garros was followed by a third-round departure at Wimbledon - where she also looked weak and disoriented in a bizarre exit from doubles. Since then Williams had gone from strength to strength, winning two US hardcourt titles in the run-up to the Open.

Her strong showing on the hardcourts of America meant she claimed a US$4 million jackpot on Sunday - US$3 million for winning the title and a US$1 million bonus as the winner of the US Open Series points race.

"I think through this whole tournament I was really calm," Williams said. "I practiced so hard. Not just this week, but for like six months. I think it's now showing."

Serena Williams' six US Open title wins:

1999 - bt Martina Hingis (SUI) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
2002 - bt Venus Williams (USA) 6-4, 6-3
2008 - bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 6-4, 7-5
2012 - bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
2013 - bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1
2014 - bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6-3, 6-3

Recent women's singles champions at the US Open:

2014 - Serena Williams (USA)
2013 - Serena Williams (USA)
2012 - Serena Williams (USA)
2011 - Samantha Stosur (AUS)
2010 - Kim Clijsters (BEL)
2009 - Kim Clijsters (BEL)
2008 - Serena Williams (USA)
2007 - Justine Henin (BEL)
2006 - Maria Sharapova (RUS)
2005 - Kim Clijsters (BEL)
2004 - Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)