WTA number one Sabalenka is the two-time defending champion, with Martina Hingis the last player to win three in a row in 1999.

Williams may not have achieved the feat, but she does boast seven Australian Open titles, behind only the 11 of Margaret Court.

The American is also second only to the Australian in the all-time major titles list, with Williams winning 23 and Court winning 24.

How the crowd treated Serena Williams in the 2005 Australian Open final

Williams won her first and last Australian Open titles against her sister Venus, but fantastic memories were secured with her second triumph in 2005.

A seventh major title was clinched after she overcame compatriot Lindsay Davenport, with Williams coming from behind in Melbourne to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.

READ MORE: The potential routes to the Australian Open final for Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek

​​And asked in her winning press conference if it was the warmest she’s ever felt a crowd towards her outside the US, the champion replied: “Definitely. I felt a little weird.

“Even in my semi-final match, I realised they were really rooting for me. Usually, before, they were really rooting for the other person usually to win, maybe because I was winning all the time. I don’t know.

“So I don’t know how that works. We’ll see later on how that works, if I keep winning. ‘When’ I keep winning, see how that will be.”

Serena Williams takes time-out en route to 2005 Australian Open final win

Seventh seed Williams had only just come through a mammoth clash against fourth seed Maria Sharapova in the semi-final, where the former saved three match points.

That 2-6, 7-5, 8-6 battle was perhaps partly to blame for Williams then taking a time-out in the final, with the victor explaining the issue fully after the match.

READ MORE: What Serena Williams once said about a teenaged Coco Gauff after she beat Venus Williams

“Well, what happened, in the first point in the first game, I was down breakpoint,” she said. “Lindsay had me running from side to side.

“At one point I reached for a backhand and I think it tweaked my back out, one of my ribs out. For the next few games I was completely out of it. I had to adjust.

“Then I finally decided, ‘Okay, why don’t you call for the trainer and see if she can put it back in place.’ She did, and everything worked out.”

Williams was also asked if the victory was particularly sweet after recent criticism over her and Venus, who beat Davenport in the Wimbledon final later that year.

“Definitely,” replied Serena. “That makes it that much sweeter because people are always wondering about what’s happening to us. It’s nothing.

“We’re working really hard and we just… the matches we lose, it’s just maybe because of a few points here, a few points there of not playing well but we’re really in it. It’s just, you know, we’re excited to be back.”

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