"I wanted to win, I just really needed it" - When Serena Williams destroyed Dinara Safina in Australian Open final to regain World No. 1 spot

The 2009 Australian Open final saw Serena Williams take on Dinara Safina, in what was expected to be a blockbuster clash between the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds. However, it turned out to be a demolition job, with Williams winning 6-3, 6-0 to run away with the title.

With the win, the American won her fourth title at Melbourne, and her 10th Slam overall, drawing level with the legendary Billie Jean King. On the way to the final, Williams had taken out the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva, making for a dominant tournament run throughout.

Speaking at her press conference after the title, Serena Williams admitted that it was a tournament she really felt she "needed to win," and that she came out against Safina with a clear plan -- to put her under pressure from the get go.

"This one's right up there with all the rest of the other Grand Slams. I just feel like -- I'm so excited to win, because I wanted to win, and I feel like I needed to win," Serena Williams said.

"I don't know, I just really needed it. I definitely had a plan coming out there. I feel like if I play that way, traditionally I always am able to do well. You know, if I don't win, I at least put the people -- give them a lot of pressure," she added.

With the victory over Safina, the 23-time Grand Slam champion also regained the World No. 1 ranking. Just months earlier, she had won the 2008 US Open, meaning she was once again half-way through the Serena Slam -- winning all four Majors on the trot, but not in the same calendar year.

"I wanted to get to 10" - Serena Williams on equaling Billie Jean King's Slam tally with the Australian Open 2009 win

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At the press conference, Serena Williams admitted that she was very much motivated to reach the 10 Grand Slam mark and equal Billie Jean King's tally by winning the 2009 Australian Open.

While she knew in the back of her mind that she would have enough chances in her career to hit the number, Williams stated her belief that she saw the Melbourne title as the best opportunity to get it done.

"I wanted to get to 10. And then I felt like, "Okay, well, I really needed that, and I wanted that for me. You never know what happens in life. I feel like, you know, opportunities sometimes don't present themselves twice," Serena Williams said.

"I think obviously I'll have that opportunity again, if I didn't win, to get a chance to get to 10. But I felt like this was my chance to take it and run with it," she added.

Serena Williams would go on to win 13 more Grand Slams after that, the last of which came at the 2017 Australian Open. In 2022, she finally hung up her racket, making her final appearance at the US Open.