Konta Beats Venus Williams To Win First WTA Title

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

Wimbledon 2016: Venus Williams Equals Grand Slam Record

Venus Williams saved two set points in the opening set against Croatia’s Donna Vekic

Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams equalled the record number of appearances at a Grand Slam as she survived an early scare.

The 36-year-old saved two set points when 6-5 down to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the first set before taking a tie-break, going on to win 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.

The world number eight now has 71 Grand Slam appearances, equalling American Amy Frazier’s record set in 2006.

She now faces world number 115 Maria Sakkari of Greece in round two.

Sakkari took one hour and 22 minutes to see off China’s SaiSai Zheng, almost half-an-hour less than Williams required to progress in one hour 51 minutes.

“The first set there were some hairy moments, down some set points, but I guess that’s where experience sets in,” said Williams, playing in her 19th Wimbledon.

Serena Williams gets her Wimbledon campaign under way on Tuesday

BBC

Wimbledon 2016: Venus Williams Equals Grand Slam Record