Highlights, Australian Open Women's Singles Final: Serena Defeats Venus 6-4, 6-4 To Take 23rd Grand Slam Title, Creates History

Serena Williams defeated elder sister Venus Williams in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to win her seventh Australian Open title and created history by winning her 23rd Grand Slam overall. Serena's scintillating performance in Melbourne took her past Steffi Graf's Open-era record of 22 major titles, with only Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 still to beat. 

Get highlights of the Australian Open women's singles final here.

15:45 IST: Serena Williams celebrates the victory in style. That's it from us. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. Adios!!

SHE'S DONE IT! No. 23@serenawilliams is your #AusOpen 2017 women's singles champion. pic.twitter.com/LC6fpWi3Ik

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

15:31 IST: And that's it !! No.23 for Serena Williams!!! She beats Venus 6-4, 6-4 to take the 7th Australian Open title.

15:30 IST: Match point for Serena now. 23rd major crown for Serena on the cards 

15:28 IST: The scores are 30-30 and the tension is creeping up

15:27 IST: Take a bow Venus Williams!! Such a long rally between the sisters and Serena gave it away. She leads 30-15

15:25 IST: Venus holds and puts the pressure back on Serena to serve out the match, with Grand Slam No. 23 on the line.

15:22 IST: Serena smells victory now!! 15-15 now

15:21 IST: Serena sees the finishing line now. Wins the game and leads 5-3 in the second set

15:20 IST: Ace no. 10 for Serena. Leads 40-0 and is 4-3 ahead 

15:18 IST: Serena breaks it again to take 4-3 lead in the second set. She will take it in the straight sets, it seems!!!

15:16 IST: The competition is getting tougher. It's 40-40 again in the second set. 

15:15 IST: Serena has 9 aces and Venus has 6 in the match so far

15:13 IST: Serena holds the serve to level at 3-3 in the second set. Will this set go to the tie-break?

15:12 IST: Great service game from Venus. She has won 9 of the last 10 points on her serve. 

15:10 IST: Superb drop point by Venus. She is giving a tough fight to the World No.2

15:09 IST: Venus not letting it go!! Leads 3-2 in the second set

Sisters in sync #AusOpen #Venus #Serena
pic.twitter.com/yXWudqSNps

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

15:06 IST: That's power tennis at its best!!

15:03 IST: Serena holds the serve to level the scores. The unforced errors are creeping into Venus' game. It's 2-2 now

15:00 IST: From 0-40, Venus takes 5 consecutive points to take the game. She now leads by 2-1 in the second set  

14:58 IST: Serena hits two aces in that last game to serve out the opening set. She's one set away from her 23rd Grand Slam title.

14:56 IST: Can Serena close it out? She hasn't dropped a set this tournament. She takes the second game and level scores at 1-1

14:55 IST: Venus holds and takes the first game in the second set.

Serena, solid.

After 41 minutes, the younger Williams grabs the 1st set 6-4. She's now a set away from Grand Slam No. 23#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/tsVzrclcDY

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

14:50 IST: Serena takes the opening set in the all-important final, wins 6-4 

14:48 IST: Serena serving for the opening set now!!

#Venus, on #Serena: "When I'm on the court with her, I'm playing the best competitor in the game... I don't think I'm chump change either." pic.twitter.com/15lkWCbo8h

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

14:46 IST: Venus has landed few very important first serves. Venus holds the serve but Serena leads 5 games to 4

14:44 IST: Serena holds her serve and takes 5-3 lead in the opening set

14:42 IST: Serena has 5 aces and 4 double-faults already in the match!!!

#Serena has her eyes on the Championship #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/gOtz0ckOAF

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

14:40 IST: Sisters....everything remains the same. CRAZY!​

14:39 IST: Serena secures another break with the powerful shot and takes 4-3 lead in the first set

14:36 IST: Now Serena holds her serve to level the scores at 3-3 in the first set

#Venus to Final
SF def. Vandeweghe
QF def. [24]Pavlyuchenkova
4R def. [Q]Barthel
3R def. Duan
2R def. [Q]Voegele
1R def. Kozlova#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/3wDqNGwfPP

 

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

14:33 IST: Venus has been agile and active. She is the oldest women's singles finalist in a grand slam ever. Who was expecting that? 

14:32 IST: Two game points and Venus holds her serve for the first time in the match. Takes 3-2 lead in the first set

14:30 IST: Now, that doesn't happen often. Now, Venus breaks the serve again to level the score at 2-2 in the first set

14:27 IST: Two double faults and she responds it with an ace. Deuce again!!

14:26 IST: Double fault by Serena Williams takes the score to deuce!!

14:25 IST: This is impressive from Venus!! Superb forehand by her and Serena misjudges it. It's 30-30 in the fourth game.

#Serena to Final
SF def. Lucic-Baroni
QF def. [9]Konta
4R def. [16]Strycova
3R def. Gibbs
2R def. Safarova
1R def. Bencic#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/snS4JTQsKL

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

14:23 IST: Clinical finish by Serena as she breaks Venus' service again to take 2-1 lead in the first set 

14:20 IST: It's been a high quality start in the women's singles final here at the Rod Laver arena. It's deuce again in the third game

14:19 IST: Ohh that's unreal!! Serena Williams slips in the court and breaks her racquet

14:17 IST: Venus clinches it following an unforced error by Serena

14:15 IST: Venus Williams breaks the service back immediately to restore parity at 1-1 in the first set

14:13 IST: Venus is giving Serena a tough competition in the second game and its deuce here 40-40

14:11 IST: Serena seals the first game of the match with a powerful forehand

14:10 IST: Serena Williams starts it with a bang!! She breaks the first game and take 1-0 lead in the first set

14:07 IST: Serena Williams takes the first point and it's 15-0

Czech tennis champion Hana Mandlíková delivers the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup ahead of #Serena vs #Venus #AusOpen final pic.twitter.com/lQ7okeaIof

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

The women’s final has arrived. Welcome @Venuseswilliams and @serenawilliams onto RLA #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/B5py04fp0k

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

14:04 IST: The players (and sisters) are out on the court! Serena wins the toss and opts for the side. Venus will serve.

14:02 IST: If Serena Williams wins here, she will regain the No.1 ranking 

.@Toby_Francis performs 'True Colors' and the national anthem "Advance Australia Fair" ahead of tonight's women's singles final #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/hmC0JbHaoy

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

13:57 IST: The players are all set for the big clash. 9 years ago Venus won the last Grand Slam title. 

13:55 IST: The Rod Laver Arena is all in readiness to hold the big final match between Serena Williams and Venus Williams 

13:49 IST:  The Williams sisters last met in the final of a Grand Slam event in 2009, when Serena beat Venus at Wimbledon. 

Serena advanced to the final after beating Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets in the semifinal, while Venus beat fellow American CoCo Vandeweghe in three sets, coming back from a set down to reach her first major final since Wimbledon 2009

13:47 IST: Head-to-head with Venus Williams, Serena leads 16-11 in 27 matches 

13:46 IST: At 36, Venus Williams can be the oldest to win the women's singles title

13:45 IST: Serena Williams, in last 8 meetings against Venus Williams, has won 7 matches. Will she continue the winning streak?

That was then.

Year: 2003
Who: Venus & Serena
Score: 7-6(4) 3-6 6-4
Champion: Serena #ausopen pic.twitter.com/aQwCGOEksa

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2017

13:42 IST:  It will not get bigger than this!! Serena looks to win her seventh title in Melbourne and 23rd major overall and No. 13 Venus aims to win the Australian Open for the first time in her career.

13:40 IST: Welcome to the live blog of women's singles finals between Serena Williams and Venus Williams

Venus, who has won seven Grand Slam finals and lost another seven, has become the Australian Open's oldest finalist in the Open era as she attempts to crash her sibling's party.

Serena and Venus have played 27 times against each other in their long careers, including contesting eight Grand Slam finals. Serena holds a 6-2 edge in the major deciders, with a 16-11 win-loss record overall.

While Serena blew away Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia 6-2, 6-1 in the semifinal, Venus had to comeback from being a set down to defeat compatriot CoCo Vandeweghe 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-3.