[VIDEO] Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova: 2015 Australian Open Women's Final highlights, live scores, blog

Match result:

Serena Williams has won her 6th Australian Open title with a 6-3 7-6 victory over Maria Sharapova in the final last night on Rod Laver Arena.

In a commanding performance from the world number 1, Williams put herself among the greats, with a straight set victory over the world number 2.

Her 6th title moves her to 2nd on the all-time list of people who have won the most Australian Opens.

Her 19th title overall now moves her past Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on the list of most singles Grand Slam titles won by a woman.

Six more Grand Slam titles would move her past the legendary Margaret Court.

With the form Williams was in tonight, that record looks shaky, despite the American being 33 years old.

From the outset, she was in control, as she broke Sharapova in the first game of the match.

Even a rain delay, and a coughing fit, with a 3-2 lead in the first set, did not deter Williams.

She would hold her serve, and break Sharapova again, to win the set 6-3.

The second set was a closer affair as Sharapova came into the contest.

What she couldn’t stop though was the serve of Williams.

It was a big weapon for her tonight, and it saved her on numerous occasions.

Whenever the American was put under pressure from Sharapova, she would respond with a big first serve, or an ace.

Williams served 18 aces tonight with 15 of them coming in the second set.

The second set would eventually head to a tiebreaker after Sharapova saved a match point in the tenth game of the set.

It would be a tiebreaker controlled by Williams.

She would race to a 4-1 lead before being dragged back by Sharapova. The Russian would bring it back to 4-3 before Williams got a crucial mini-break at 5-4 up.

That would give her two match points, the first of which was saved on Sharapova’s serve.

Williams, with her first match point on her serve, would then fire an ace to seal the title.

In six finals in Australia, Williams has won all of them.

She is now 19 out of 23 in Grand Slam finals and has won 16 straight matches against Sharapova.

After the win, she was proud of her achievement.

“It feels really good to be sitting here as the champion. I definitely didn’t think I would be here in the beginning of the week or the beginning of the two weeks, but it feels pretty excellent.”

Her aim is to now get to Steffi Graf’s 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

“I would love to get to 22. I mean, 19 was very difficult to get to. Took me 33 years to get here, so I would love to get there. But I have to get to 20 first, and then I have to get to 21.”

Williams’ focus will now be on celebrating the victory. Her next tournament will be in Dubai in February.

Match preview:

Maria Sharapova will have to break a long drought against Serena Williams if she is to lift the Daphne Akhurst trophy tonight in the women’s final at the Australian Open. Join The Roar for a live blog of the women’s final from around 7:30pm AEDT.

In the last 15 matches between the two, the world number 1, Serena Williams, has won them all.

Not since 2004, at the WTA championships, has Sharapova won a match against Williams.

Since then, Williams has won 30 of the last 33 sets, in those 15 contests.

It is a complete domination against an opponent who has been in the top five players of the world for the last ten seasons.

Sharapova must break this record today to win the Australian Open for the second time in her career.

After winning in 2008 against Ana Ivanovic, she will be looking to add the Australian Open to the French Open title she won last year.

With Williams winning five Australian Open titles, we won’t be seeing a first time winner tonight.

Either Williams will win her sixth title tonight, or Sharapova will win her second.

A sixth title win for Williams tonight would put her in second for most trophies won by a female at the Australian Open.

It would level her with Nancye Wynne Bolton who won six singles titles between 1937 and 1951.

Tonight is the fourth meeting between the two at a Grand Slam final.

Williams leads the ledger 2-1 with Sharapova winning the first meeting in 2004 at Wimbledon.

In the other two meetings, at the 2007 Australian Open and the 2013 US Open, Williams won both matches comfortably.

She defeated Sharapova 6-1 6-2 at the Australian Open and 6-4 6-4 at the French Open.

I expect tonight’s match to be closer but it all depends on how Williams plays.

I’ve said all tournament that Williams will win the title of she plays at her best.

Her power, and game, is the best in the WTA.

If she plays at her best, no one can beat her.

It will be interesting to see if she can do that tonight.

Williams has been suffering from a cold in the last few days, and is clearly discomforted with it.

Against Sharapova, who fights for every point, she will be found out if she is not fit for the contest.

Her nerves could also affect her tonight.

She hasn’t played in an Australian Open final for 5 years since winning it in 2010.

Every time she has made the final here though, she has won the title.

Five finals have equalled five titles for Williams.

The key to the match is the unforced errors to winners ratio.

Both players will be trying to overpower their opponent tonight.

Hitting winners, and having little to no unforced errors, will be crucial.

Whoever can do that the best tonight will win the contest.

All signs point to a Williams win tonight.

She has a good record against Sharapova, a good record at Australian Open finals, and a good record in Grand Slam finals.

In 22 finals matches, Williams has won 18 of them, for 18 titles.

With the form she is in, and her imposing record against Sharapova, she will win number 19 tonight.

Sharapova’s best chance of victory is tiring out Williams throughout the contest.

I can’t see that happening though and Williams will win in straight sets to record her sixth title at Melbourne Park.