Venus Williams defends Dubai title in style

Clinches 42nd career title to go on top of the list of active winners

  • By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
  • Published: 21:13 February 20, 2010

  • Image Credit: Megan Hirons Mahon, Gulf News
  • Venus Williams with Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain and Shaikh Hasher Maktoum during the presentation ceremony at the Dubai Tennis Stadium last night.
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Dubai: American Venus Williams became only the second player to successfully defend her title when she tamed Belarussian Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 7-5 for the women’s crown at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships late last night.

Watched by a packed house, Venus took her time to adjust and then came up with a vintage performance to become only the second player after Justine Henin, who had won here in 2003 and 2004 and then again in 2006 and 2007.

The winners received their trophies from Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, Dubai Director of Information and President, Tennis Emirates, Vinit Chandra, Chief Executive, Emerging Markets, Global Retail & Commercial Banking, Barclays and Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free.

Playing with a lot of intensity and purpose, Venus looked every bit the champion as she walked into the history books as one of the sport’s greats. Her win last night was her 42nd career title that puts her one ahead of Henin at the top of the list of titles won by active players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Venus is just one title behind Martina Hingis, who is tenth on the all-time list of title winners with 43 crowns.

“The second set was a real tough one. I am glad I could successfully defend my title here. I simply love it here in Dubai,” Venus told the packed Dubai Tennis Stadium.

“It’s so much fun playing against any of these young players. It was tough, and I am glad I could defend my title here,” she added.

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Venus took her time to gauge her opponent, breaking Azarenka in the sixth game to go clear 4-2 and then relied on some amazing and incisive serves to hold and pull away 5-2 and serve out for the first set 6-3 in 35 minutes.

In the second set, Venus made her move early breaking the Belarussian in the first and then served out to make it 2-0. But the defending champion failed to hold on to this advantage as she made one of her three double faults and then hit a forehand long to help the Belarussian draw level and go clear 4-3.

However, Venus had some other plans lined up to bring the crowd to its feet as she broke Azarenka a second time in the 11th game and then held to serve out for set, match and her second successive title in an hour and 20 minutes.

Earlier in the evening, the Spanish duo of Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez got the measure of Kveta Peschke and Dubai-based Katarina Srebotnik to win 7-6 (5), 6-4 for the doubles crown.

Results:

(Singles) Venus Williams bt Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 7-5.

(Doubles) Nuria Llagostera Vives/Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez bt Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik 7-6 (5), 6-4.
 

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