• US Open

Williams powers to 18th grand slam title at US Open

Serena Williams won her sixth US Open without dropping a set, as she did in 2002 and 2008 © AP

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Serena Williams joins Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 grand slam singles titles after winning her sixth US Open with a dominant 6-3 6-3 victory against Caroline Wozniacki.

Fifteen years on from her maiden victory in New York as a 17-year-old, Williams overcame a nervy start to the match against friend Wozniacki, who was playing for her first grand slam title after returning to the US Open final for the first time since 2009.

Williams became the second woman to win three consecutive US Open titles in the Open era along with Evert, and the first to win three consecutive titles at the same grand slam since Justine Henin's Roland Garros treble between 2005 and 2007.

Serena Williams has won six US Open singles titles, having claimed her maiden grand slam title in New York in 1999 © AP

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"It was a pleasure to win my first grand slam here," an emotional Williams said during the trophy presentation. "I couldn't think of a better place to win my 18th."

With so much on the line for both players, the match was a tense affair from the outset. Williams was error-prone and Wozniacki tentative as the pair traded five breaks in succession before Williams held for just the second time in the match to lead 5-2.

Wozniacki saved a set point to hold for the first time in the final but Williams served it out in 40 minutes and picked up a break in the opening game of the second.

The Dane battled gamely to protect her serve as she looked for a way back into the match, but Williams gave no quarter in the second set, serving 70% first serves and breaking once more with Wozniacki serving to stay in the match to seal victory in an hour and 15 minutes.

It was the third time Williams had won the title without dropping a set, as she did in 2008 and 2002. Nobody took more than three games in any one set during this year's tournament.

"You really deserved it today," Wozniacki said. "You're an unbelievable friend, and you definitely owe drinks later."

Williams enjoyed a record payday in New York, walking away with $3 million (£1.9m) in prize money for winning the US Open and a $1m (£600,000) bonus cheque for also winning the US Open Series prior to the year's final grand slam, as well as an 18-carat gold Tiffany bracelet, presented to her by Evert and Navratilova.

"I just could never have imagined that I would be mentioned with Chris Evert or with Martina Navratilova, because I was just a kid with a dream and a racket," Williams said. "Living in Compton, you know, this never happened before.

"I'm already looking at maybe No.19," she added when asked if she was satisfied with her place in history, but stopped short of targeting Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22 grand slams.

"I'm just a simple individual who just wants to win titles and wants to play tennis. I want to do really well and I love the game. 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."

Beaten finalist Caroline Wozniacki paid tribute to her 'unbelievable friend' during the trophy ceremony © AP

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