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| After 11 years Serena Williams is French Open Champion for a second time |
Roland Garros 2013 Day 14: Serena triumphs
Eleven years after her first French Open triumph as a 20 year-old, Serena Williams was victorious again at Roland Garros with a 6-4 6-4 defeat of reigning champion Maria Sharapova.
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| Sharapova began well |
The American top seed came out strong and immediately went up love-40 on the Sharapova but the Russian fought back and saved four break points to hold.
The Russian was extremely determined with every point won punctuated with a huge 'Come Onnnnnnnn'.
Sharapova broke Williams for 2-0 and then led 40-15 in the following game. At this juncture Williams raised her game and broke back with an emphatic smash.
The World No.1 levelled and broke to go up 3-2. Having consolidated the lead for 4-2 Williams saw the Russian take two straight game and level at 4-4.
Typically Williams' response was to break with a big forehand and then served out the set after 51 minutes.
World No.2 Sharapova hung on to her serve at the start of set no.2 after saving five break points.
However Williams broke through in game three to take the lead. Sharapova hung with her to keep the set close and came through a deuce game at 3-5.
Serving for the championships at 5-4 Williams began by slamming her eighth ace down the middle before a loose backhand went well wide.
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| Williams was overjoyed with victory |
A ninth ace, again down the T, too her to 30-15 before a short backhand off the return just landed inside the baseline to setup two championship points.
Typically Williams finished with a 10th ace before falling to the court celebrating her 16th Grand Slam singles crown.
The 31 year-old has now won three of the last four Grand Slams and currently holds the Olympic and WTA Championships titles as well.
With no disrespect to Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka if Williams had not suffered injuries in Melbourne it is probable that she would have completed a second 'Serena Slam'.
It was about time for Williams to lift the Roland Garros crown. When she lost quarter finals in 2009 (to Kuznetsova) and 2010 (to Stosur) she would well have won the title if she had come through those extremely tight matches.
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| Back on top in Paris |
This year she again suffered a wobble in that round, and again against Kuznetsova, and once she made it through that one she was always going to be the champion.
Serena has now won her last 31 matches and six titles so far in 2013 - the most she has ever won at this stage of a season.
She will now move onto the grass where she will be an overwhelming favourite to take a sixth Wimbledon crown.
At the All England Club Williams can claim a 600th career singles match win in the third round and can possibly extend her career best winning streak to 38 (with the title) which would be the longest winning run since Steffi Graf won 44 straight matches 20 years ago in 1993.
Few would bet against Serena lifting Grand Slam title No.17 on the grass in four weeks time.
A thrilling Men's doubles final saw top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan win their second Roland Garros crown, and first since 2003, with a narrow defeat of the unseeded French pairing of Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut.
The Bryan's saved a break point at 3-4 in the decider and then came from 2-4 in the deciding tie-break to triumph 6-4 4-6 7-6(7-4) and win their 14th Grand Slam title.
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