Serena retains title with eye on Olympics
Source: Agencies |
July 17, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SERENA Williams overcame a shaky start and two service breaks to beat lucky loser Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday in Stanford for her second straight Bank of the West Classic title.
Eight days after winning Wimbledon, Williams saved a set point and won the final four games of the opening set. It was the 43rd WTA Tour championship of Williams' career, tying older sister Venus for the most among active players.
The first all-American WTA final on home soil in eight years was hardly a one-sided affair.
The 20-year-old Vandeweghe, who failed to make it out of qualifying and got into the main draw only when Bojana Jovanovski withdrew with an injury, moved the 14-time grand slam champion and her highlighter-yellow outfit all over the court to give Williams her only real challenge of the week.
Williams whipped a backhand crosscourt that Vandeweghe sent sailing wide for an early break to go ahead 2-0.
Vandeweghe immediately broke twice in the first set, both with Williams struggling on tosses into the sunny side of the court, and ripped a 121 mph ace in her next game. But serving for the set at 5-4, Vandeweghe crumbled when she had the chance to put a dent into Williams' final tuneup before the London Olympics.
Williams walloped a soft second serve with another backhand crosscourt to save a set point. And on the sixth break chance of the game, Vandeweghe double-faulted. She finished with five double-faults and six aces.
Williams didn't fare much better with nine aces and six double-faults, but she won 81 percent of her first serve points and waited for her opponent to make mistakes.
Vandeweghe again double-faulted to give Williams a set point at 6-5, and Williams smacked another backhand crosscourt that Vandeweghe barely got a racket on to take the set.
Eight days after winning Wimbledon, Williams saved a set point and won the final four games of the opening set. It was the 43rd WTA Tour championship of Williams' career, tying older sister Venus for the most among active players.
The first all-American WTA final on home soil in eight years was hardly a one-sided affair.
The 20-year-old Vandeweghe, who failed to make it out of qualifying and got into the main draw only when Bojana Jovanovski withdrew with an injury, moved the 14-time grand slam champion and her highlighter-yellow outfit all over the court to give Williams her only real challenge of the week.
Williams whipped a backhand crosscourt that Vandeweghe sent sailing wide for an early break to go ahead 2-0.
Vandeweghe immediately broke twice in the first set, both with Williams struggling on tosses into the sunny side of the court, and ripped a 121 mph ace in her next game. But serving for the set at 5-4, Vandeweghe crumbled when she had the chance to put a dent into Williams' final tuneup before the London Olympics.
Williams walloped a soft second serve with another backhand crosscourt to save a set point. And on the sixth break chance of the game, Vandeweghe double-faulted. She finished with five double-faults and six aces.
Williams didn't fare much better with nine aces and six double-faults, but she won 81 percent of her first serve points and waited for her opponent to make mistakes.
Vandeweghe again double-faulted to give Williams a set point at 6-5, and Williams smacked another backhand crosscourt that Vandeweghe barely got a racket on to take the set.
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