Serena Williams wins U.S. Open

Credit: Ben Solomon for The New York Times

Serena Williams has retained her U.S. Open title, winning a hard-fought 7-5 6-7 6-1 victory over Victoria Azarenka in a tense, nail-biting final at Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday, reports CNN International.

The top-seeded tennis star was exhausted by Azarenka's onslaught en route to clinching her 17th grand slam crown in two hours 45 minutes of intense action on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court. Williams made no mistake at 5-1 in the decider, taking advantage of her second match point when her opponent from Belarus hit long.

It brought to an end the noble effort of second-seeded Azarenka, who had trailed by two breaks of service in the second set before hitting back to win a close tiebreaker 8-6. But it was not enough to best Williams, and Azarenka eventually took her second consecutive Open finals loss against Williams, after last year's match-up in New York. But Azarenka was gracious in defeat, saying, "It's a tough loss but being in the final against the best player, who deserves the win, it's incredible." The Australian Open champion would go on to say, "I gave it everything I had. I fought hard but well deserved. Congratulations Serena."

Serena Williams reacts to her U.S. Open victory (Credit: Ben Solomon for The New York Times)

Williams' victory marks a notable milestone in the world of tennis: at 31, she is the the oldest winner of the hard court grand slam in the Open era. Though proud of her accomplishments, Williams acknowledged the class of opponent she was faced with in the finals.

"Victoria you played unbelievable," Williams said. "What a great match and a great person. It's an honor to play against you."

But the milestones don't end there for the tennis champ, as Williams is the first woman to successfully defend her U.S. Open title since Kim Clijsters in 2010.

Williams received a check for $3.6 million, including a $1 million bonus for winning events in the build-up to the final slam of the season. However, it should be noted that Williams lost to Azarenka in the Cincinnati final last month, one of only four defeats for the tennis champion in 2013.