Serena Williams defeats Maria Sharapova to win 6th Australian Open


Notching her sixth Australian Open victory and 19th Grand Slam title, Serena Williams powered through a nagging cough to defeat Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6 (5) on Saturday, The Associated Press reports.
"Growing up, I wasn't the richest, but I had a rich family in spirit and support," Williams said after her victory. "Standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen. I went on the courts with just a ball, a racket, and a hope...Never give up. You never know what's going to happen."
The top-ranked tennis star's victory makes her the oldest winner of the Australian Open women's title, at 33 years old. The win also moves Williams into second place for most major wins; she is now just three major titles away from tying Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22.
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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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