A straight two-set victory gave sister duo Venus and Serena Williams their eighth doubles Grand Slam title after winning the Australian Open final on January 30 2009 against Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-3.

It was Williams' third Australian Open title at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Nothing could stop the sisters' duo, 10th seed, who crashed through the often helpless Hantuchova and Sugiyama. Even though Serena and Venus had not played together since the 2006 Roland Garros, they proved to be one of, if not the best, female duo in the world.

Their attitude during the game said it all: the two were really into the spirit of the game, entertaining not simply themselves but the spectators too. The game was played with the roof on after temperatures outside the court reached 43 degrees Celsius.

"I'd like to thank Serena for being the best partner," Venus was quoted by the BBC as saying after their match. "I wouldn't want to play with anyone else. She's amazing." Venus said that after, for her, the tournament was over.

Serena, on the other hand, has yet another match at Australian Open. On January 31, she will play Russia's Dinara Safina for the title in the singles event.

The clash will decide who will be the best female player in the world, since Serena Williams is ranked number two in the WTA ranking and Safina is close behind her, at number three.

Current world number one, Serbia's Jelena Janković, lost her chances of retaining her number one spot after defeat against former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France in two straight sets (6-1, 6-4) in the fourth round on January 25 2009.