Serena wins WTA Stanford title

August 05, 2014 00:00:00

STANFORD: Serena Williams of USA reacting after winning her match against Angelique Kerber of Germany in the finals of Bank of the West Classic at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium here Monday. — AFP Photo

STANFORD, Aug 4 (AFP): World number one Serena Williams climbed out of an early hole to beat third- seeded German Angelique Kerber 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 on Sunday to win the WTA Stanford crown.

The top-seeded American, playing her first tournament since a disappointing Wimbledon campaign in which she was slowed by a virus, got her hardcourt build-up to the US Open off to a good start and will try to carry the momentum into next week's tournament at Montreal.

Williams collected her third Stanford trophy and her fourth title of 2014, after triumphs in Brisbane, Miami and Rome.

But the 17-time Grand Slam champion has struggled in majors this year, failing to make it past the fourth round in the Australian Open, French Open or Wimbledon.

She'll have her last chance of the year to add another major title to her resume at the US Open, which starts at Flushing Meadows on August 25.

"That would definitely make (my year) better," Williams said. "That would be a great thing. But I'm just focused on the next tournament."

Kerber, who saved a match point en route to her semi-final victory over Varvara Lepchenko on Saturday, soared to a 5-1 lead in the opening set.