Serena crowned WTA champion in Doha

Eurosport - Sun, 01 Nov 16:54:00 2009

Serena Williams celebrated re-capturing the world number one ranking by beating older sister and defending champion Venus 6-2 7-6(4) in the WTA Championships final in Doha.

Serena Williams of the U.S holds her trophy after defeating her sister Venus Williams in the WTA Tour Championships final, REUTERS - 0

A tired-looking Serena delivered a serving master class, dropping just seven points on serve heading into the second set tie-break, as she wore down her equally weary sister in 85 minutes to win her first non-Grand Slam title of the year.

"It feels fantastic. I definitely wasn't expecting to win when I came here because I hadn't been practising very well," said Serena.

"I kept fighting against a really tough player but Venus kept hitting the ball back. That's never easy and it's really frustrating."

Serena, who needed to better Dinara Safina in the tournament to depose the Russian as world number one, always looked the more likely victor as she battered winners off every ball she could reach to add the WTA Championships to the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles she won earlier in the year.

"It's nice to finally win a tournament other than a Grand Slam," said the 11-times Major champion who last won a title outside of the big four in April 2008.

"I know Venus didn't feel so good today but she just got everything back and it was frustrating. I served really well but you have to serve well against Venus.

"We definitely weren't physically 100 per cent out there today but it just shows you how much we try. Even in the second set, how hard we just both fought, especially Venus, she was getting every ball back.

"I've seen Venus return better, and I served well. I think I really did serve well."

With both players sporting heavy strapping to their left leg, Serena on her thigh and Venus on her knee, the match took a while to get going, and the older sister was forced to save a break point in the very first game before managing to hold.

It was Serena who loosened up first, breaking in the third and seventh games of a very one-sided opening set before serving it out to love when Venus sent a backhand down the line just wide.

It is testament to Venus's intense fighting spirit that she managed to level up the playing field in the second set, providing a much tighter match than Serena would have been expecting after such an easy first set.

But with Serena winning an incredible 87 per cent of points behind her serve, Venus was always going to struggle to get back into the match, and neither player faced a break point in the second set.

Serena twice eased through holds when serving to stay in the match to force the tie-break before racing out to a comfortable 5-1 lead in the breaker at the change of ends.

Venus was not going to hand away her title that easily, however, and produced a series of vicious forehands to get back within a point at 5-4.

But Serena, who should discover on Monday if she is to face further punishment over her outbust at the US Open, quickly recovered her composure, firing down a sixth ace to bring up her first championship point before sealing the title with a blistering forehand across court and on to the line.

"I've been playing for a long time," said Venus. "I'm not going to be the one to say, 'Oh, I played forever yesterday'. You have to show up and play no matter what. That really has nothing to do with it.

"I just made a slow start and although I served better in the second set I didn't serve as well as I wanted to."

Pippa Davis / Eurosport

Comment 40 - 59 of 59

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  1. thats why i like her so much,she said shes the best in­ the game,works towards it and achieved it,what else do­ you haters want,she prove it by winning slams,the­ highest money earner in the game if not in women sport.­ who cares if you haters dont like her,we do like her,­ because shes not a looser like so many of you... cant­ wait to see next season,its going to be­ great,competitive and interesting­ SERENA.VENUS.HENIN,CLIJSTERS,SHARAPOVA­ ETC.....................WILLIAMSES 4 LIFE

    From Felix, on Mon 2 Nov 9:57PM

  2. Sour grapes ivan66ivan???

    From Jude, on Mon 2 Nov 8:15PM

  3. good news ---SW WITHDRAWN FROM FED CUP

    WE SHOULD­ SEE NO MORE OVERWEIGHT INFLATED FIGURES ON COURT IN­ 2009

    WELL DONE

    From ivan66ivan, on Mon 2 Nov 6:54PM

  4. VERY well done to Serena, great to see her triumph­ again after a tricky few months. A great win and a­ great achievement to be back at number 1 again for the­ start of hopefully a very exciting new season! Well­ done to Venus too, great to see her in a big final­ where she belongs just very unfortunate that in the­ last 2 big finals she has ran into her sister! Good­ luck to both sisters in 2010 and long may they play!

    From Jude, on Mon 2 Nov 6:17PM

  5. #53 Johnny, excellent!!!

    From Svetlana, on Mon 2 Nov 5:14PM

  6. G.S loses win rate at a grand slam.
    maureen connolly­ 9 0 100%
    suzzanne lengle 8 0 ­ 100%
    helen moody 19 3 ­ 86.4%
    magrarat court 24 5 ­ 80%
    serena williams 11 3 78.6%
    dinara­ safina 30 0 0%

    figures speak­ for them selves haters + racists serena is amongst the­ greats, safina is not, shes only white: or almost­ white.

    From Ten-Ten, on Mon 2 Nov 3:18PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    overdoped gorilla...

    From Ferrrrrrr, on Mon 2 Nov 2:04PM

  8. Here we go again. The Bloodthirsty Serena Haters are­ baring their psychopathic fangs. Do they even watch­ tennis?
    Fortunately the people who lead the tennis feds­ are a lot more professional, objective , competent and­ worthy of their leadership and they will find
    1. Serena­ a 1st time on the spur of the moment offendor
    2. Of­ pure verbal abuse otherwise an impeccable competitor­ for over a decade
    3. The silly line call at the most­ critical juncture of THE marquee match of the­ Tournament reflects extremely poor discretion by the­ lineswoman and did just as much damage to the sport
    4. ­ Caught between those who felt Serena has been punished­ enough and those who felt she didnt,
    The tennis feds­ will agree on the middle position which is to made­ Serena forfeit her semi-final prize money for the­ singles

    From R L, on Mon 2 Nov 2:02PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    HI,

    This will be the last important title for Serena­ and Venus.....I know that !

    From Luca, on Mon 2 Nov 1:20PM

  10. Serena, I have been your fan (registered) for over two­ years and I have been following your game ever since. I­ am glad you won this one and you have reclaimed your­ top spot. You deserve it and I am most glad. Thank God­ for his blessings and I am sure 2010 will be better­ with the Australian open. You will do it again. cheers.

    From Johnny, on Mon 2 Nov 12:19PM

  11. Serena once again proved that she can win big !
    2010­ will be an exciting women's tennis year. If­ Clijsters continues her amazing comeback and if Henin­ comes back as strong as she was, women's tennis­ will be interesting again.

    From ilove.juju, on Mon 2 Nov 11:59AM

  12. # 34 iz a junk.
    #31 send me ur email adz.

    From Say, on Mon 2 Nov 11:42AM

  13. #41 & 34, it is a pity you are neither wta­ official or participant in the women tours. what serena­ did to the moroonic lines woman cannot be compared to­ what Hitler your idol did to the jews or the slavery of­ Africans as well as the bombing of Hiroshina Or­ Nagasaki by Americans or the Apartheid of South Africa.­ I know you belong to the past and the shame will live­ with you for generations to come. They constitute the­ axis of evil of the world as well as European Hitler..­ Now judge for yourselves before you start to make­ ilicit comments about Serena speaking out of injustices­ and you supporting it.. Call your selves kettle and­ rest. She is no 1, of the world the best female earner­ in tennis history, surpassed Navratilova, Steffi and­ not even to talk of Henin your idols..

    From Augustine A, on Mon 2 Nov 11:15AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    yes we agree
    SHE SHOULD BE BANNED ^ 6 months + ­ HEAVILY FINED

    From startoratora, on Mon 2 Nov 10:14AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hi
    Here's how to get yourself a free PS3 slim,­ Wii, Xbox360elite, ipod or even cash!
    Just go to -­ gkdme.tk (copy/paste into your browser) and follow­ these 2 simple steps:
    1)Sign up (absolutely­ free)
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    From GadgetsNCash, on Mon 2 Nov 10:03AM

  16. I love you Serena, I'm happy to see you with the­ trophy!!! Good luck for 2010_

    From Qeti, on Mon 2 Nov 8:47AM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    SHAY HAS 1 HUUUUUUUGE BATTAM AN ER.

    From Donney, on Mon 2 Nov 8:39AM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    well done to the Serena! Its a shame your brother­ couldn't join you in the final to make it and all­ williams borthers final.

    From davehelix22, on Mon 2 Nov 8:33AM

  19. I must say that Serena is the best female tennis player­ for the last 15 years.From time of Seles and Graf she­ is the best.What to say she is already one of the­ several best ever players.You can love her or­ not.
    Navratilova,Graf,Seles also were little­ underespected in their best time.

    Congretulations!

    From vladimir, on Mon 2 Nov 7:27AM

  20. is all abut grandslam,serena hs wat a number 1 nids not­ safina.

    From tunde j, on Mon 2 Nov 7:14AM
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