Sunday, 28th January 2007 at 11:07 am

Back on top

She entered the event unseeded, and hardly a serious contender; after all, recent appearances on court had been rare, and her interest in the game seemed much diminished. Which makes Saturday’s triumph in Melbourne all the more remarkable for Serena Williams, Australian Open champion after defeating world number one Maria Sharapova. Neither of the Williams sisters has been seen much on court over the last couple of years, and although injuries played a role, there was a definite impression given that after dominating tennis so comprehensively, they simply got a little bored with the game.

The rise of the Russian legion, the performances of the Belgian duo, and the return of Martina Hingis, means that women’s tennis is particularly strong at the moment - and perhaps that’s just the motivation Serena needed to get back to her best. The return of Venus would be equally welcome; for now, Serena is most definitely back, and the women’s game has a new dimension to it for 2007. Look out for some great outfits, some great tennis, and the name Williams back up the rankings very soon.