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 The American won the battle between the world's top two players to
pick up her 58th career title.
In the men's draw, Roger Federer will be chasing a 19th win over
home favorite Lleyton Hewitt when the two 32-year-olds renew their
friendly rivalry in Sunday's final.
Both players needed three sets to reach the final with top seed
Federer beating Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 and Hewitt
downing Japan's Kei Nishikori 5-7 6-4 6-3 in stifling conditions.
The women's final lacked the intensity of Williams' victory over
Maria Sharapova on Friday but lived up to its promise in a pulsating
second set.
The world number one's serve was far more consistent than in her
previous match and she did not face a break point in taking the
first set.
She was gifted the only break in the seventh game when Azarenka
blasted a forehand wide down the line.
The American then sealed the set with an ace and an early end to the
match seemed likely when she broke the Belarusian in the first game
of the second set, but instead it brought her opponent to life.
Azarenka broke Williams twice to take a 4-2 lead but lost her own
serve to restore parity.
In the crucial 11th game, Williams hit a vicious backhand down the
line to secure her third break of the set and then served out for
victory.
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Her second set efforts showed Azarenka is not far off from
toppling Williams, who she split four matches with last year, and
after the match said: "I hope to meet you in Melbourne."
Williams is also eyeing another meeting between the pair before they
leave Australia.
"I hope we do play in Melbourne too because that would mean we'd be
going the farthest," Williams said.
Conditions were far easier for the women finalists than for the
first men's semi-final between Hewitt and Nishikori, where both
players struggled as the temperature reached 42 degrees.
"When you just come off the court it feels like it's the worst
you've played in," Hewitt said.
"It was a really heavy humidity feel out there. I was sweating just
walking out to have my warm-up."
Federer was far from his best against Chardy, losing the second set
in a tiebreak. However, crucially as his French opponent's serve
fell apart in the third set, Federer swooped to set up a 27th
meeting with Hewitt.
"Jeremy has a great serve and made it tough for me," said Federer,
who has won 16 of his last 17 meetings with the Australian.
"It will be very different against Lleyton. He has the game to cause
me a lot of problems."
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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