DHAKA: Serena Williams thought she had won the Australian Open with an ace out wide. "Let," called out chair umpire Alison Hughes.

Williams, racket already dropped to the ground as she prepared to celebrate, picked up her racket, gathered herself at the baseline again and stepped up, delivering another service winner, and with it, the Australian Open title.

Williams, the top seed and world No. 1, won here again and in doing so captured an historic 19th Grand Slam title in what was her 19th career meeting with Maria Sharapova. The American emerged from a hotly contested and dramatic affair with the Russian, 6-3, 7-6(5) at Melbourne Park in a match that got better as it came to a close.

Williams jumped out of the blocks quickly, breaking Sharapova's serve from the get go and maintaining a break lead at 3-2, 30-all serving when rain began on court. Sharapova had begun digging into the match at that point, but a 10-minute break was taken for the roof to be closed and Williams raced to the set after it, winning 12 of the last 16 points and knocking a backhand winner to break Sharapova a second time for the first.

The second set played out with a plethora of drama, Williams continuing her dazzling display of serving while Sharapova came to the line game after game to try and stay even. Sharapova got down a break point at 2-3, Williams crouching down to knock a cross court backhand winner past her, letting out a big "Come on!" on one knee. But Sharapova would hold, letting out a yelp of celebration herself as the plot thickened.

BDST: 1804 HRS, JAN 31, 2015