Serena Williams delivered a performance of devastating power to overwhelm her sister Venus and clinch her third straight Grand Slam title.

A packed Arthur Ashe stadium was treated to a hard-fought encounter between the two sisters, but once Serena finally converted her ninth break point of the first set she was always in control.

I did make a lot of errors and that makes it tough to win the match - I think Serena was the best player in the tournament this year Venus Williams

Venus saved one match point with an audacious second-serve ace but was unable to prevent her sister from gaining revenge for defeat in last year's final.

Venus struggled throughout with her serve and delivered a disastrous ten double faults but her problem was exacerbated by the astounding quality of her sister's returns.

The second seed faced break points in all but one game of the first set, including four in the opening game of the match.

Venus held on until 3-3 when two double faults left her facing a mountain to climb and Serena pummelled a forehand return out of her sister's reach.

Serena-Venus stats

Aces: 3-3 Double faults: 1-10 Winners: 16-13 Unforced errors: 19-33 Break points: 5-17 Total point: 68-51

Serena, whose own serve was not as potent as it had been throughout the tournament, allowed Venus the chance to break back which the older sister took.

But the crunch was always likely to come on her own deliver and when she delivered a further critical double fault at 4-4, Serena took full advantage.

Comfortable lead

A brutal ace sealed a one-set lead for Serena and she looked likely to run away with the match as she marched into a 4-1 lead, with her sister looking more and more baffled by the pace and variety coming her way.

But the defending champion took advantage of a chink in her sister's armour and her tactics of charging the net with increasing regularity almost paid dividends.

She battled back into the match at 4-3, but the nerves made an unwelcome return and serving to stay in the set, she threw in her tenth and final double fault.

The crowd rose to applaud a superb rally at deuce which Venus won with an athletic forehand volley, but it was not enough to hold off the rampant world number one.

Serena merely shrugged off the disappointment and forced two further errors from her sister to grab a fully-deserved win.