Molik wins all Australian final at Sydney.

Alicia Molik is having a good warm up for the Australian Open starting on Monday, winning the Medibank International in Sydney. The last Australian who took the title in Sydney was Wendy Turnbull in 1980. The all-Australian final for this year could be a stepping-stone towards a good built-up for Australia’s Fed Cup team.

Molik and Stosur both play a good match under the burning sun of Sydney. Taking each other to a tiebreak in the first set, Samantha Stosur wins the tiebreak hitting winners and taking advantage of some unforced errors by Molik.

Samantha Stosur, born in Gold Coast where she played her first WTA final last week, is having a bad time in the second set. She trails 5-2 after Molik breaks Stosurs service in the 6th game and holding on to her own serve. Molik is having trouble with Stosur who is breaking back for 5-4 but the younger Aussie cant help losing the second set 6-4 after Molik takes the set into her own hands with three set points to make it one all in sets.

In the third set Molik has a triple breakpoint and breaks for 4-2 after Stosur hits a ball wide. Adelaide born Molik looks like she is going to finish the match when she holds her own serve for 5-2. After Stosur is holding her serve for 5-3 she finds a way to give Molik a hard time and works herself back into the match to 5 all.

Molik starts her serve with a double fault but hits a service winner for 15 all. Stosur returns the second serve into the net for 30-15, then hitting an ace for 40-15 and again Stosur returns a good serve into the net. Molik takes a 6-5 lead.

On 40-30 after Molik is forced into an error Stosur hits a ball long and ends up with deuce. Molik takes advantage when she passes Stosur with a backhand winner who is trying to defend at the net. After playing over two hours of tennis under the scorching Sydney sun Alicia Molik takes the match when Samantha Stosur hits the ball wide with a forehand.

After losing to Patty Schnyder in Gold Coast last week the promising Australian youngster Stosur lost her second consecutive final and will face Amelie Mauresmo in the first round of the Australian Open.

Alicia Molik has doubts about the way she played her final. "I didn't think I was playing at the highest level out there today, but a win is a win is a win, as they say, "I found it difficult returning her serve. I just don't think that I really stepped up to the ball as much as I should have. I probably made it a little bit difficult for myself, but Sam was playing great tennis."