Seventh seed Serena Williams claimed her first Grand Slam title in two years on Saturday when she overcame injury to down Lindsay Davenport 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 in the Australian Open final.
World number one Davenport had looked to be heading for a simple victory after racing into the lead as Williams struggled with a painful back and rib injury.
After attention from a trainer while trailing 4-1, the 2003 champion returned full of fight and struggle together nine successive games in a crucial period from the seventh game of the second set to end Davenport's challenge.
"It means a lot to me," the former world number one said.
"I went to a few finals last year and I went so close and didn't win, so I really didn't want it to happen again."
A disappointed Davenport congratulated Williams on her comeback win, a first at this level since Wimbledon 2003.
"She's had a tough couple of years and has come back like the champion she is," said Davenport, who was playing in her first Grand Slam final since the 2000 U.S. Open.
"I hope to see you again," she added.
Williams, who was unable to defend her 2003 Australian title last year because of injury, showed plenty of her old fight in a crucial second set at Melbourne Park.
She gamely held off six break points in the fifth game of the second set before slamming a service winner to hold for 3-2 in what proved to be the turning point of the match.
REMARKABLE TURNAROUND
"I kept thinking to myself 'I'm not losing this game. I don't care if my arm falls off, I'm not losing this game'. And I guess that's what happened," Williams said.
"I didn't want to lose that particular game because it would have given her a lot of momentum, and a lot of confidence."
Williams then earned her first service break of the match in the eighth game of the second set and it was one-way traffic from that point as she served out with an ace.
Williams took complete charge when she broke an increasingly tentative Davenport in the first game of the third set, and then held for a 2-0 lead in a remarkable turnaround from what had appeared certain defeat.
She extended her lead over the 2000 champion with two more service breaks as a frustrated Davenport's game fell apart.
Williams crunched a backhand winner across court for a 5-0 lead in the final set before serving out the match for her seventh Grand Slam title.
Williams has struggled through a difficult period which has included an eight-month lay-off after knee surgery, the death of one of her elder sisters and the separation of her parents.
She said enduring such a bleak period had made her stronger and that she refused to give in, even when she hurt her back in the very first game of the match.
"Lindsay had me on the run, I was running for a ball on my backhand and my back went out. I'm not as young as I used to be," the 23-year-old smiled.
"Then they manipulated it and it was fine after that. She was killing me in the first set but I just thought 'Enough, I'm not going to lose'."
