Slammin' Serena Leaves Safina Feeling Like a Ballboy in Aussie Open Final

Serena Williams may have just redefined the word "domination" as far as tournament finals go. In an absolute thrashing, Serena routed Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 Saturday to win the Australian Open -- her 10th career Grand Slam title. With the victory, she returns to the No. 1 ranking, and we might as well just stamp her name on Melbourne Park for now. After all, she's won four out of the last seven women's championships there.

Safina was simply overwhelmed from the start. She double-faulted three times in the first game -- including on break point -- and Williams finished the first set off in a smoking 22 minutes. Serena had 23 winners and just seven unforced errors overall, winning more than twice as many points as her 22-year-old opponent.

"I didn't even spend one hour on the court," said Safina as she apologized to the crowd. "Serena played just too good - I was just a ballboy out there today." It was the most lopsided Australian Open women's final since 1962 (other than matches that ended early due to illness or injury).

So, yeah, it's not going to take much for Federer and Nadal to top this one.

Serena faced questions at the end of 2008 due to nagging injuries that forced her to retire from a few tourneys. But following this win and her U.S. Open performance last year, there's no doubt which Williams is on top of the tennis world again.

Capping off a dazzling week in which she became the all-time leading money winner in women's sports, Williams is now just the fifth woman ever to win four or more Australian titles.

Serena Williams Snapshots

Serena Williams of the United States speaks during the awarding ceremony after beating Russia's Dinara Safina, right, in the Women's singles final match against at the Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Serena Williams of the United States of America celebrates winning a point in her women's final match against Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Lucas Dawson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Serena Williams of the United States of America celebrates after winning her women's final match against Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Lucas Dawson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Serena Williams of the United States of America celebrates after winning her women's final match against Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Serena Williams of the United States of America celebrates after winning her women's final match against Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams

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Serena Williams of the United States, left, holds the trophy next to runner-up Russia's Dinara Safina during the awarding ceremony after the Women's singles final match against at the Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)