WHEN Serena Williams was learning to play tennis as a child in Compton, a city south of Los Angeles, Steffi Graf was among the players she idolised. Yesterday, Williams, 35, won her seventh Australian Open title to move to 23 Grand Slam titles, one better than the German.

“It’s such a great feeling to have 23,” Serena said, after a 6-4, 6-4 win over her sister Venus, a result that was never in doubt and which ensured the younger Williams will regain the No 1 ranking when the list is updated tomorrow. “It really feels great. Yeah, I’ve been chasing it for a really long time. It feels like a really long time. When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here. I’m here.”

It was the ninth Grand Slam final between the sisters who revolutionised the sport from the moment they arrived on the scene in the late 1990s, their athleticism taking tennis on from the days when Graf dominated the women’s game.

Graf had already given her blessing to Serena breaking her record and there was a sense of inevitability about the final, which never quite lived up to the hype. It was the ninth time the sisters had met in a Slam final, with Serena had won six of the previous eight Slam finals the sisters had contested and although the match started with four straight breaks, Serena got the vital one and took the first set.

Venus, 36, was appearing in her first Grand Slam final since 2009, a superb achievement given the fact she is still battling Sjogren’s syndrome, which causes chronic fatigue and muscle soreness.

Her returns were giving Serena trouble and she stayed with her younger sister until 3-3 only for the second seed to break and hold the advantage to seal a satisfying victory, 14 years after they met in the 2003 final in Melbourne.

“My first Grand Slam started here and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of,” Serena added. “I couldn’t have written a better story.

“I just feel like it was the right moment. Everything kind of happened. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but it’s really good.”

When it does sink in, Serena will realise that she is just one more Grand Slam title short of the all-time record of 24 held by Margaret Court.

The Australian won her titles across both the amateur and professional eras, something that makes comparisons difficult.

Serena’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou said: “With all respect to Margaret Court it’s another era. The draws were like 16 players and they were not professionals. Of course, the record is there and we definitely want to beat it but there is a professional era and the record is Steffi Graf.”

Without longevity, there would be no record and Mouratoglou said Serena’s focus has been unwavering since they began working together in the summer of 2012, since when they have now won 10 Grand Slams.

“It means she’s been dominant for 17 years which is something totally unique I think,” he said. “A lot of players are still here 17 years after but have they been dominant? No. She’s been dominant almost during 17 years.”

Playing her sister in a Grand Slam final after so long was a different experience this time, Serena said.

“I really felt like today, win or lose, I really felt like there was no way I could have lost today,” she said. “If I had lost, it wouldn’t have been a loss because I know everything that Venus has gone through. I know how hard she works.

“In particular before this tournament, she worked so hard. So I just felt like this was just a win-win situation for me. In the beginning it was a lot more emotionally involved. Now, I just feel like I’m satisfied with where I am, although I always want to win. I also just feel, you know, a little bit more satiated.”

Serena received two pairs of trainers from the former basketball star Michael Jordan, who famously wore the No 23 when he played with the Chicago Bulls.

The Williams sisters have now won 30 Grand Slams between them, something of which Serena said she was immensely proud.

“We feel so fortunate to have this opportunity to be the ones that can do it,” she said. “Venus and I work so hard. Still to this day, we work side-by-side with each other at practice. The motivation she gives me, it’s really second to nothing. It’s amazing.”

Having overtaken Graf, victory at Roland Garros in June would equal Court’s mark but Williams said she doesn’t know how many title she might one day reach.

“I never had a number,” she said. “That’s the beauty of it. When I started this journey, I just wanted to win a Grand Slam. Then I just wanted to win. Every time I step on the court, I want to win. It’s just really remarkable.”

For Venus, missing out on an eighth Grand Slam title was disappointing but she said the future looked bright.

“I feel like I had opportunities,” she said. “Just missed some shots. But it’s not like I missed shots that I wasn’t going for. I went for those shots. It’s a matter of inches.”

“It’s a great start. I’m looking forward to the rest of year. This is like tournament number two. I’m looking forward to tournament number three and four. It’s going to be awesome.”