Johanna Konta beats Venus Williams to win first WTA title

Johanna Konta of Britain in action against Venus Williams of the USA in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, on Sunday. Konta won 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 to clinch her maiden WTA title. (Photo: AFP)

Britain’s Johanna Konta captured her first WTA title on Sunday, beating former world number one Venus Williams 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 at the WTA hardcourt tournament in Stanford, California.

Konta, ranked 18th in the world and seeded third, appeared on her way to an emphatic victory in her first career final after racing to a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serve in the second set.

But Venus, seeking her 50th career title, won six of the next seven games to level the match at a set apiece. The 25-year-old Konta, who fired 12 aces to three from Williams, didn’t let the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s resurgence rattle her.

Refreshed after a brief bathroom break, she broke Williams in the third game of the final set, and took a 3-1 lead with her 10th ace of the match.

She broke Williams again to serve for the match at 5-2, and despite a couple of nervy missteps in the final game sealed the victory on her third match point.

“It was quite an incredibly humbling experience,” said Konta, the first Briton to win the tournament since Sue Barker in 1977.

Konta had launched her career-best season with a win over Williams in the first round of the Australian Open, where she went on to reach the semifinals. She has since gone from strength to strength, making the second week of both Indian Wells and Miami, and reaching the semifinals at Eastbourne.