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

Maria Sharapova Set To Retire From Tennis

Maria Sharapova’s called a press conference on Sunday to discuss her future women’s tennis amid speculation on what was termed as a ‘major announcement’ on her professional career.

 

The former Wimbledon champion, 28, is scheduled to speak publicly in Los Angeles at lunchtime on Monday (8pm UK time), with inevitable rumours that she might be about to signal her retirement from the sport.

Sharapova has played only three tournaments in the past eight months and recently has had a succession of problems with her right arm and shoulder, the latter having already undergone surgery in 2013.

 

Sharapova said: ‘I have been focused on healing my left forearm injury and tried to get my body to be 100 per cent ready to play this event. I will be anxious to return next year.’

Maria Sharapova Set To Retire From Tennis