Williams beats Wozniacki for 18th Grand Slam title

Top-ranked Serena Williams won her third straight and sixth overall U.S. Open crown and moved up in the record books with her 18th Grand Slam title.

Her 18 career Slams puts her alongside Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for fourth place on the all-time list of female Grand Slam winners.

Williams bounced past her good friend Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday in New York City after failing to get beyond the round of 16 in the year’s first three Slams. Williams sailed through the U.S. Open without dropping a set, finishing off the Danish Wozniacki in a snappy 75 minutes.

"I have been trying to reach it for so long, since last year," said Williams, hoisting her first Grand Slam trophy since lifting the same trophy a year ago. "I definitely did not think I was going to win a Slam this year."

"To win the U.S. Open, that was my dream," she said. "Every time I win here, it's just a really incredible special moment for me."

"The reason I play is to sit at the end of the day and hold the trophy or stand and hold the trophy. For me, that's my joy."

There was no joy, however, for Wozniacki.

Back in a Grand Slam final for the first time in five years, it was another frustrating end to a promising fortnight for the 10th seed as she once again left Flushing Meadows with a major championship just beyond her grasp.

The title came with big check for Williams, who pocketed the $3 million winner's purse along with a $1 million bonus for winning the U.S. Open Series of hard court tournaments, the buildup to the year's last Grand Slam.

As Williams received her checks, Navratilova and Evert joined her on center court and presented her with an 18-karat gold bracelet as the newest member of their Grand Slam club.

Margaret Court tops the list with 24 Slam titles, followed by Steffi Graf, who has 22, and Helen Wills Moody with 19.

The most difficult part of the match for Williams appeared to be beating a player she calls one of her best friends. Williams and Wozniacki vacationed together this summer, and Williams said she exchanges text messages with Wozniacki daily.

But once the match began, Williams, who has often had to face off against her sister, Venus, again proved her focus by overpowering Wozniacki.

"When she's on her game, it's not fun to play her," said Wozniacki, whose only other Grand Slam final appearance also came at Flushing Meadows, in 2009. "She's so strong."

Reuters