If the television companies and the marketing men could have their dollar-devouring way, they would surely now scrap the women's tournament at the US Open and, instead, play an annual best-of-seven World Series between the Williams sisters. Hingis, Schmingis, and all the rest are an irrelevance.

At least that was what it felt like here on Saturday evening as prime-time television, for the first time in the history of the US Open, snaffled up the all-Williams final and turned it into something resembling the sister of the Super Bowl.

"God bless America," warbled Diana Ross, as fireworks cascaded into the New York skies. Multimillionaire Donald Trump, surrounded by his wives, beamed down from his royal box, while Robert Redford and other assorted celebs eased back in their chairs and waited for the cameras to roll.

Somehow, and not a little remarkably, a sporting occasion that had started the fortnight as an international event and ended as a parochial jamboree, survived. And it did so because Venus the elder categorically established herself as the best women's player in the world by defeating Jennifer Capriati, this year's Australian and French Open champion, in the semi-finals, and then trouncing her sister, seeded number 10, to claim the title in straight sets.

The computer rankings will continue to show this morning that Venus is the world number four, behind Switzerland's Martina Hingis, Capriati, and Lindsay Davenport. This is nonsense. Any system which rewards consistency at bread-and-butter level over excellence at the four grand slams is clearly flawed. Hingis has not won a major title since the 1999 Australian, and clearly cannot be considered by anybody in their right mind as the best player in the world.

Not only was Venus's 6-2, 6-4 victory over Serena a personal triumph - and this was her fourth triumph in the last six grand slam tournaments - it was also a victory for the game. Such has been the suspicion, doubt and disquiet surrounding the sisters, that had Serena prevailed by playing anything other than devastating tennis, the tongues would have continued to wag furiously.

Indeed, after Venus had established a 6-2, 2-0 lead, and then somewhat limply lost her serve to allow Serena to level at 2-2, the television commentator Mary Carrilo was moved to remark: "This is why people have become suspicious when the sisters play each other".

Suspicion is one thing, proof another. On this occasion Venus's mid-set lapse was surely because she felt a little sorry for her younger sister, whose game was strewn with unforced errors.

If Venus did momentarily take her foot off the pedal it was not for long. Two double faults by Serena in the ninth game opened up space for the kill, and Venus duly went for the throat, as all champions do. Serena tossed her racket away and made for the net, where the two embraced.

"I love you," Venus whispered in her ear, and later told the 23,000 crowd: "There are some good things and bad things. I always want Serena to win. I'm the bigger sister. I'm the one who takes care of her. I make sure she has everything even if I don't. It's hard."

As she spoke, Serena nudged Venus and mouthed: "Don't Venus. You're making me cry." And if this was all rather too Little House on the Prairie for European tastes, it was quintessentially American, and gobbled up like cherry pie.

Quite how Serena will view it all in the months ahead is another matter. Since winning this title as a 17-year-old two years ago, defeating Hingis, she has slipped well behind Venus, who has since won Wimbledon and the US Open twice.

"They feed off each other," said their mother, Oracene, although she admitted for most of this year, prior to the US Open, Serena had "been out having fun."

By winning her fourth slam title, Venus has edged beyond Davenport (three) and is now just behind Hingis (five). Venus clearly has the potential to win many more. Indeed, when both sisters are fully focused, as was pretty much the case during the last fortnight, there are few players who can trouble them.

"I think the night is another one to cherish," said Billie Jean King, who won 12 grand slam singles titles, four in the US, and helped found the professional Women's Tennis Association 30 years ago. "Venus and Serena are providing another benchmark for women's sports. I was thinking about 1973, and how women couldn't even get a credit card back then. Can you imagine Serena and Venus without a credit card?"

Venus won $850,000, Serena $450,000 as the runner-up. There is no doubt the sisters have changed the face of modern women's tennis.

"We've all worked hard, and I feel we deserve it - and the sport does too," said Venus who, like Serena, has so obviously gone out of her way to conduct herself with greater restraint, and with more generosity towards her opponents here.

No doubt they were much chastened by the hostile reception they received at Indian Wells, California, earlier this year when Venus pulled out of her semi-final against Serena minutes before the start. The Williams are nobody's fools on either the playing or the commercial front, and Indian Wells was a huge and surprising error of judgment.

Ultimately this was neither a good US Open final nor a good women's tournament, for there were very few matches of genuine quality or excitement. However, it lifted Venus Williams a little closer to the game's greats, and allowed America to wallow in self-congratulatory schmaltz. Nobody does it better. Or worse.