Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 | Last Update : 10:47 PM IST

  Venus Williams sets sights on 50th title

Venus Williams sets sights on 50th title

AFP
Published : Jul 25, 2016, 2:09 am IST
Updated : Jul 25, 2016, 2:09 am IST

USA’s Venus Williams returns to compatriot Alison Riske in the semi-finals of the Bank of the West Classic at the Stanford University Taube Family Tennis Stadium in Stanford, California, on Saturday. Venus won 6-1, 7-6. (Photo: AFP)

USA’s Venus Williams returns to compatriot Alison Riske in the semi-finals of the Bank of the West Classic at the Stanford University Taube Family Tennis Stadium in Stanford, California, on Saturday. Venus won 6-1, 7-6. (Photo: AFP)

Top-seeded Venus Williams will play for her 50th WTA title on Sunday in Stanford, in the tournament where she made her professional debut 22 years ago.

Venus defeated tenacious Alison Riske 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) to reach the championship match, where she’ll face third-seeded Briton Johanna Konta.

Konta, ranked 18th in the world, reached her first career WTA final with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over second-seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.

After sailing through the opening set, Venus had to fight her own inconsistent serve in the second.

Up 5-4 in the second and serving for the match, Venus produced three double faults, wasting two match points.

Two games later Venus saved two set points to force the tiebreaker, which she dominated.

Venus, who won the Stanford title in 2000 and 2002, won her 49th career singles title in Taiwan in February.

The 36-year-old winner of seven Grand Slam titles turned back the clock with a run to the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Konta, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January, and at Eastbourne in June, has rebounded well from a second-round exit at the All England Club.

She dominated on serve, winning four of her five service games in the first set at love.

She closed out the first frame with an ace, and delivered more of the same in the second set, when she won 27 of the 29 points on which she put her first serve in play. “I definitely felt I needed to do things the best possible way,” Konta said.

Location: United States, California, San Francisco