Serena Williams celebrates with the Butch Buchholz Trophy after winning the women's final of the Sony Open at Crandon Tennis Center. Williams defeated Li Na (not pictured) 7-5, 6-1. [Photo/Agencies]

The world's top-ranked players will also meet in the men's final Sunday, when No. 1 Rafael Nadal tries for his first Key Biscayne title against No. 2 Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion.

Williams lives 90 minutes up I-95 from Key Biscayne and considers it her home event. She said the fans provided a boost when she fell behind.

"It was like, `Oh my gosh, if I can just hang in here and just try to enjoy myself,'" she said. "Honestly the crowd pulled me through. I heard some fans go, `Go Serena.'"

Williams has played in the tournament 14 times and also won the title in 2002-04, 2007-08 and 2013. Her earlier finals victories came against Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic, Justine Henin, Elena Dementieva and Jennifer Capriati twice.

She also lost finals to her sister Venus in 1999 and to Victoria Azarenka in 2009.

Li, who won the Australian Open in January, was at the top of her game for most of the first set. Even so, she couldn't close it out.

"Only one mistake: I think I should go party last night," Li said with a smile.

Williams committed six unforced errors in the opening game, and it took her 16 minutes to win a game. She double-faulted to fall behind 5-2, and the comeback came slowly from there.

The first set lasted 73 minutes, longer than many of Williams' matches.

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