Serena Williams described her Australian Open win as 'cool' after matching her idol Billie Jean King on 12 Grand Slam titles.
The world No.1 defeated comeback queen Justine Henin 6-4 3-6 6-2 in a see-sawing encounter on Rod Laver Arena to claim her fifth Daphne Ackhurst Memorial Trophy on Saturday night.
Williams also won at Melbourne Park in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009, and has one French Open, three Wimbledons and three US Opens to her name.
"I feel really special that I was able to tie Billie-Jean King," she said.
"In my heart of hearts, I've been going for it and I haven't been able to quite achieve it."
Making the win even more special for the American was that King was on hand to watch her draw level on the all-time list, which is headed by Australia's Margaret Court-Smith (24), who presented the trophy to Williams.
"Billie Jean is a really big mentor of mine. She was a Fed Cup coach at one time, which was super cool. We had so much fun. She even visited me before the match," Williams said.
"I didn't speak to Billie about it (the number of Grand Slams), but after we talked. We took a picture. I was excited. I said, 'I tied you'. But what an honour."
The victory over the Belgian former world No.1 ended a run of wins at the Australian Open in odd-numbered years.
"I never thought about it," Williams said of breaking the bizarre sequence.
"I was always okay with winning on the odd years and I was totally okay with losing today or losing in the semis, because it meant that I would win next year."
"So now I don't know. I'm a little nervous. I don't know if I'm guaranteed to win next year or not."
After taking the first set and at 3-3 in the second, Williams appeared on track for a relatively comfortable victory until Henin reeled off 15 consecutive points before eventually sending the match into a decider.
But just as Henin got on top, Williams returned fire as her serve began to find the mark, saving 11 of 16 break point opportunities.
"I don't think I served excellent, but I think when it was necessary I served really well," she said.
"Even in the first game - I think that first game was like 10 minutes - that game was important. I ended up holding. She had a couple break points, I hit a couple bombs at the right time."
"So that definitely helped me out. Honestly, the longer the match goes the better my serve gets. So I felt like when I walked out there in the third set I was like, 'OK, I'm going to start serving better'."
Williams paid tribute to Henin, who was playing in just her second tournament after returning to the tour from a 20-month retirement, even predicting the Belgian could return to the pinnacle of the sport.
"She can go really far. As you saw today, she took me to the umpteenth level. She clearly hasn't lost a step at all since she's been gone," Williams said.
"I think her game is definitely better. I mean, it was excellent before she left. But, you know, I think she's added a lot to it."
"I feel like I played a girl who's been on the tour for the past five years without a break."