Britain’s Johanna Konta beat seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams to win her first WTA title in Stanford.
Konta, 25, won 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in California to join Heather Watson as a British winner on the WTA Tour in 2016.
“It’s quite an incredibly humbling experience,” said the British number one. “It’s a validation of all the hard work you’ve already put in.”
Sue Barker was the only previous British winner in Stanford, beating Virginia Wade in the 1977 final.
Konta said: “I wanted to leave it all out there, but also absorb everything that I could possibly reinvest in my career moving forward.
“I’ve played her twice before and knew I’d be playing a magnitude of experience. Venus Williams doesn’t need an introduction.”
British number one Konta – ranked 147th last June – will rise from 18th to a career high 14th when the new world rankings are confirmed on Monday.
BBC
Konta Beats Venus Williams To Win First WTA Title
