SERENA WILLIAMS put on a class act to win the Australian Open women's singles tennis tournament, which ended with the final in Melbourne on Saturday (Friday night Jamaica time).

The 25-year-old American crushed Russian Maria Shara-pova 6-1, 6-2 in one of the most lopsided finals in the tournament's history.

In fact, it was the worst defeat since the 1994 finals when Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario was pulverised 6-0, 6-2 by Steffi Graf.

Also, Williams became the third-highest unseeded player to win the title behind unseeded Yvonne Goolagong (1977) and No. 111 ranked Chris O'Neill (1978).

Stunning margin

The winning margin was stunning, to say the least/ Williams had not played in any tournament for four months prior to the Australian Open, as she spent the time recuperating from injuries. She had only participated in four tournaments for the entire 2006.

Williams, on the basis of her inactivity, was ranked at 81st and referred to herself as a "dangerous floater".

She had won seven grand slam tournaments before, two of them coming at Melbourne, so she had every right to acclaim herself in such a manner.

More than that though, Williams had great confidence in her ability to succeed, and that desire was fuelled by comments that she could not triumph.

Measured approach

Reflecting on all her matches, I have no doubt that Williams' entire approach was well-measured.

In seven matches, she was lined up against six seeded players and she worked out a formula to gradually play herself into form through all those matches.

Though the scorelines appeared close in some of the earlier matches, I did not feel Williams would lose.

Actually, the reason why some of those matches went so close was due to the cautious strategy she employed of playing defensively, sitting mainly on the baseline.

Even when she belted in her first serves - which are the most difficult in the women's game - she chose to stay back.

That was until the 63-minute demolition in the final when she let her characteristic attacking game loose on Sharapova.

Class act

Only a player ahead of the field, and who knows that they're ahead of the field, could have made such a calculated success in a tournament of the highest order. And then turn it on when it matters most.

What this says, and in no uncertain manner, is that when Serena Williams is fit she basically has no match, possibly with the exceptioin of her elder sibling, Venus, who is also dogged by injuries.

Both played a number of grand slam finals against each other, when that was the case.

Injuries and other interests have made the women's game more competitive but I'm convinced that once that focus and fitness stays, then so too will Serena Williams' class act.