MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Latest on Saturday from the Australian Open (all times local):
11:15 p.m.
Henri Kontinen of Finland and John Peers of Australia have beaten Bob and Mike Bryan 7-5, 7-5 to win the Australian Open men’s doubles championship, their first Grand Slam title.
The fourth-seeded Kontinen and Peers started playing together at last year’s Australian Open and won five titles together in 2016. They are undefeated in three matches against the Bryan brothers, the most decorated doubles team in tennis history.
The third-seeded Bryans were trying to win their 17th Grand Slam title, which would have tied them with John Newcombe for the most titles all-time.
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10:50 p.m.
For the fashion-conscious Serena Williams, it’s no surprise she had a pair of shoes with the No. 23 printed on the heel to mark her Open-era record 23rd major title.
She did get an extra special delivery, though, from the man who made that number famous. During a post-match interview on ESPN, Williams was presented with a gift. She opened up the box and read a letter from NBA legend Michael Jordan congratulating her on reaching No. 23, his famous jersey number, and a pair of Air Jordans. One shoe was red and black - the Chicago Bulls colors - and the other was a more Serena-esque pink.
“Thank you Michael - I can’t believe I’m saying thank you Michael Jordan,” Williams said. “He’s the greatest.”
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10:10 p.m.
After playing each other for the Australian Open title, Serena and Venus Williams were all sisterly love during the trophy presentation.
Serena thanked her sister for pushing her throughout her career and helping her win her 23rd singles major title, a record for the Open era.
With a tearful Venus looking on, Serena said, “There’s no way I would be at 23 without her. There’s no way I would be at one without her. There’s no way I would have anything without her. She’s my inspiration. She’s the only reason I’m standing here today.”
Venus, who was playing her first Grand Slam final since 2009, said she was “enormously proud” of her sister for winning her seventh Australian Open title and breaking the tie she had with Steffi Graf for most major titles in the modern era.
“Congratulations, Serena, on No. 23. I have been right there with you. Some of them I have lost right there against you,” Venus said. “Your win has always been my win, you know that. All the times I couldn’t be there, wouldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there.”
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9:00 p.m.
Serena Williams has defeated her sister Venus 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Australian Open to capture her 23rd major singles title, setting a record in the Open era.
Serena Williams had been tied with Steffi Graf at 22 major titles. She still remains one title behind the all-time leader, Margaret Court, who has 24 overall Grand Slam titles in the Open and amateur eras.
It was also the seventh Australian Open title for Serena Williams to go along with her seven titles at Wimbledon, six at the U.S. Open and three at the French Open.
Serena Williams started the match nervously, dropping serve twice to start the first set. After making three double-faults in the fourth game to get broken, however, the younger Williams didn’t face another break point in the match.
The match-up between 36-year-old Venus and 35-year-old Serena was the oldest for a women’s major final in the Open era, with a combined 71 years, 11 months.
Serena Williams now has a 17-11 career record against her sister, including a 10-5 advantage at Grand Slams.
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8:30 p.m.
Hungary’s Zsombor Piros has won the country’s first Australian Open boys’ championship.
Piros, the 15th seed, had to work for nearly two hours to beat fourth-seeded Yshai Oliel of Israel 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
It was only the second Grand Slam junior event for the 17-year-old from Budapest. He lost second round at Melbourne Park last year.
The opening set was the only one Piros lost on his way to the title. He beat the second and fifth seeds before outslugging the Israeli left-hander in the final.
Oliel, who beat top-seeded Wu Yibing of China in the semifinals, proved less steady than his opponent in the long baseline rallies.
With the title in the balance at 1-1 in the deciding set, Piros slumped to 0-40. The right-hander, who lists magic tricks among his hobbies, found a way to scramble out of that service game and grew in confidence from there.
He broke for 4-2 and was untroubled in the next two service games to close out the match.
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8:20 p.m.
After a nervous start, Serena Williams has won the first set against her sister, Venus, 6-4, in the final of the Australian Open.
Serena Williams looked off her game at the start, dropping serve twice to open the set. She double-faulted three times in the fourth game of the match to allow Venus to pull even again at 2-all.
Venus Williams had trouble holding serve, as well, getting broken three times. The players combined for 29 unforced errors in an uneven set.
Serena Williams took out her frustrations on her racket at one point, slamming it to the court after slipping in the back-court and nearly snapping it in half.
Serena Williams is trying to win her 23rd Grand Slam title, moving one past Steffi Graf to set a new record in the Open era. Venus Williams is back in the final of the Australian Open for the first time since 2003.
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3:35 p.m.
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk has duplicated the feat of Croatian Mirjana Lucic 20 years ago when she won the Australian Open girls singles title.
Kostyuk, who’s 14, utilized her powerful ground strokes to outlast top-seeded Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.
Lucic-Baroni, a surprise women’s singles semifinalist this year, was also 14 when she beat Germany’s Marlene Weingartner 6-2, 6-2 in the 1997 Australian junior final.
Kostyuk, who broke Masarova’s serve in the ninth game of the final set, is the first Ukraine player to win the Australian Open girls title.
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3:25 p.m.
Marta Kostyuk has won the Australian Open junior girls title with a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 win over top-seeded Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland on Saturday.
The 14-year-old from Ukraine broke Masarova’s serve in the ninth game of the final set, then held her serve in the 10th, clinching the match on a forehand.
In an evening match, Serena Williams was scheduled to play her sister Venus in the women’s final. A win by Serena would be her 23rd major title, breaking the Open-era record of 22 that she held with Steffi Graf.
In the men’s doubles final, American twins Bob and Mike Bryan looked to win their seventh Australian title when they played Henri Kontinen of Finland and Australian John Peers.
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