( CNN ) -- Serena Williams is looking forward to the `` ultimate challenge '' of trying to win the French Open after again proving her dominance over biggest rival Maria Sharapova and defending her Madrid title on Sunday . The American triumphed 6-1 6-4 to retain her No . 1 ranking and claim the 50th WTA Tour crown of her career , becoming only the 10th player to do so . The 31-year-old is the only player to have won on three different colors of clay -- and she is confident that the Madrid surface 's reversion to red after the blue of 2012 will help her bid to end an 11-year wait for her second grand slam success at Roland Garros . `` This court is definitely different from last year , '' Williams said . `` It definitely plays more like Roland Garros , so I think that 's a plus . It 's a little slower than it was last year and plays more like a true clay court . So I think it 's great preparation . It 's a good start in the right direction . '' Last year Williams fell at the first hurdle in Paris -- a tournament she won back in 2002 -- before going on to triumph at Wimbledon , the Olympics , the U.S. Open and the season-ending WTA Championships . `` It is the ultimate challenge , '' Williams said . `` Whether I reach it , I do n't know . I 'm not going to put that pressure on myself . `` I wanted to do it last year and I did n't get it . So this year I 'm just looking forward to Rome , and then after that Roland Garros . '' Williams has now beaten second-ranked Sharapova in their past 12 meetings , and was in control for most of the match despite trailing 3-1 in the second set . `` I do n't know if her start was shaky , but I felt I played well in the first few games -- playing such a great athlete and great tennis player like Maria , you have to come out and play well . I had no choice , '' she said . `` She definitely started playing better in that second set -- I think she came out with a different game plan . I missed a very crucial point in that first game , but after that I just had to refocus . '' Williams is now three wins behind Monica Seles on the WTA list , but a long way behind Martina Navratilova 's record 167 . `` I do n't know how many more I can win . Like I say every day , 'Who knows if I 'll ever win another title ? ' I just want to live in the moment , '' said Williams , who returned to action in 2011 after a long injury break that caused life-threatening blood clots on her lungs . `` I feel like every moment I play -- I do n't know if it 's because of what I went through -- I feel like I 'm so fortunate to be out there and healthy and to have an opportunity to play a sport and be really good at it . `` Hopefully I can just keep it going . '' Sharapova arrived in Rome having retained her Stuttgart title , but the Russian was once again unable to stand up to Williams ' power . `` Obviously it 's tough losing in the final today , but I think my preparation so far has been decent , winning a title in Stuttgart and getting to the final in this tournament for the first time , '' the 26-year-old said . `` One more tune-up to go before Roland Garros , and everything seems to be going well . '' Rafael Nadal is in fine shape to defend his French Open title after winning a record-extending 23rd Masters level tournament in Madrid on Sunday . The Spaniard crushed Swiss 15th seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 6-4 in the final to claim his fifth crown since returning from longterm knee problems in February . The 26-year-old joined Thomas Muster in equal second on the Open Era clay titles list with his 40th success on the surface . They are six behind Guillermo Vilas . Wawrinka can take some consolation in that he will return to the top-10 rankings for the first time since 2008 . It was Nadal 's third title in Madrid , where he has been runner-up twice .
World No . 12 Maria Sharapova beats Maria Sharapova in final to retain Paris title . American notches up 50th win of her career , becoming the 10th woman to do so . Williams is hoping to win the U.S. Open for the third time since 2002 . Rafael Nadal wins the Madrid men 's title for the third time .