World champion Serena Williams won her fifth Australian Open singles title after defeating Belgian Justine Henin in the final. Serena Williams held her 12th grand slam singles trophy. This victory also made Williams to become the first woman to return as Australian Open champion since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. By receiving this year’s title, Williams broke her slash of winning in Melbourne in recurrent years after her first championship in 2003.
Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, was contesting just her second tournament and first grand slam event after reentering from a 20-month retirement. Henin, who had retired when ranked No. 1, required a wild-card invitation from organizers as she did not play enough events to qualify for a ranking. Williams played with bandages on her right thigh and left calf in Rod Laver Aren.
Kim Clijsters won September’s U. S. Open in her first major after reentering from retirement. Until Clijsters’ tour to the title in New York, no wild card had approached beyond the semifinals at a major.