Serena Williams could not bring herself to declare 2013 the best year of her career even after finishing it off with an 11th trophy.

The world number one retained her WTA Championships title in Istanbul with a 2-6 6-3 6-0 victory over Li Na at a packed Sinan Erdem Dome on Sunday.

For much of the week it had seemed inevitable she would walk away the winner, but in the end she had to summon up her last dregs of energy to complete a 78th win from 82 matches this season.

Williams has won more matches and more titles than in any other year of her career, but she could not overlook her quarter-final loss at the Australian Open and fourth-round defeat at Wimbledon.

“I live to win slams,” she said.

“Obviously I’m so excited to be the WTA champion, and I think I have a top three (seasons). I can’t say it’s the best and I can’t say it’s not the best.”

Williams picked out winning the French Open for only the second time in 11 years as the highlight of her season, but putting right the few bumps in the road that she hit this season is clearly a motivating factor.

The first opportunity will come in less than three months’ time when the 2014 season kicks into gear at the Australian Open.

She said: “It’s never too far away but there are 128 people that have the same thought that I have.

“I hope to be the one standing up in the end, and it’s for sure my next goal.

“Seeing that I didn’t do as well as I wanted to there, actually the past few years.

“My goal is just to go a year in Australia without twisting an ankle. That’s what I’m going to start with.”

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