Hi dear readers,

I’ll be taking just a few days off, four I think, to recuperate in one mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’m parting in minutes, literally. All your e-mails and comments will certainly be answered when I come back.

I hope you were enjoying my coverage of the 2009 Australian Open. I'm sorry I probably won't be able to write about the singles final, but you can certainly discuss it in the comments. However, I'll enjoy watching it in some idyllic cottage covered with snow. Yay!

See you in a few days!

Marija

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Venus and Serena Williams won their eighth Grand Slam doubles title with victory at the 2009 Australian Open.

The sisters claimed their third doubles trophy in Melbourne, by defeating Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3 6-3.

Venus and Serena breezed through the first set. In the second set there was more fight as the pairs exchanged breaks six times in nine games before the Americans came through.

"I'd like to thank Serena for being the best partner," said Venus. "I wouldn't want to play with anyone else. She's amazing."

In singles, Serena Williams is to play the final against Dinara Safina, while the older sister Venus got knocked out in the second round. (source: BBC, photo: Getty Images)

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By reaching the singles and doubles finals at the 2009 Australian Open, world No.2 Serena Williams broke golf star Annika Sorenstam's record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Even if Williams is to lose both championship matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, overcoming Lindsay Davenport, who used to hold the record in women's tennis, by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam's total by more than $150,000.

Williams’ first check was worth $240, she earned it at an event in Canada in 1995:

It's amazing how much women's tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, her career earnings will reach more than $23.5 million. In singles she’s looking for her 10th Grand Slam title in a clash with Dinara Safina, while in doubles, along with her sister Venus Williams, she faces Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama. (source: ESPN, photo: Tennis Channel)

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Nine-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams will meet the French Open runner-up Dinara Safina in the final of the 2009 Australian Open.

Williams put Elena Dementieva's 15-match winning streak to an end, defeating the Russian 6-3 6-4 in the semifinals. In-form Dementieva had been undefeated this year and she even beat Williams two weeks ago in Sydney, plus, the Russian won their last three meetings.

Despite everything, powerful Williams can always step up on Grand Slam stage and keep her cool. Dementieva double-faulted eight times, while Williams made no double faults.The American hit 27 winners – including 10 aces – to 18 winners from the Russian. She even rallied from behind in the second set, trailing 3-0 before winning six of seven games. Read more »

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Serena Williams is aiming high, wanting to win a Golden Globes award for her writing skills. Sorry Serena, but as good a tennis player you are, you are that bad a writer. Everyone, remember Serena's famous love poem?

The world No.2 revealed she’s serious about her writing career, and is even reading some manual on how to write a TV drama.

Off the court I have a new goal. I love writing, and for quite some time now I have wanted to write a screenplay. Before, I wanted to write a script for a movie, but now my goals have changed. I have decided I would love to write a "dramedy" — a mixture of a comedy and a drama. I think my goals changed because of my recent obsessions with Desperate Housewives, Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle. I spend most of my spare time on my HP computer surfing the Internet. I figured I should trade in my remarkable ability to waste time into my ability to write. I have nothing to lose. Don't laugh, because one day I will be at the Golden Globes accepting an award. I am currently reading this booked called Writing a TV drama Series. Venus bought it for me! I'm so excited!!!

I see she's really serious. Plus, remember that after the US Open there was a piece of news that Serena was reportedly about to publish her memoir? (via Down the Line, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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