Venus wins first title for 16 months

FE Team | Published: February 24, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

DUBAI, Feb 23 (AFP): Venus Williams, the seven times former Grand Slam champion, won the WTA Dubai Oopen Saturday to silence some of the doubters who said she could never make a significant come-back at the age of 33.
Williams produced a magnificent performance by outplaying the tournament's sensation, Alise Cornet, 6-3, 6-0 to earn her a first title in 16 months.
Williams only gained entry into the Dubai Open with a wild card after falling outside the top 40, yet completed five fine wins.
In doing so she avenged the defeat which the French player had inflicted on her sister Serena Williams in the semi-finals, captured her first Premier level title since 2010, and ensured she would climb back into the world's top 30.
Williams' face was afterwards wreathed with enormous smiles, while Cornet twice dissolved into tears during the match, aware from an early stage that she was unlikely to find a way to halt one of the game's most formidable attacker two nights in a row.
"It's great to be back," Williams said, referring to her capture of the Dubai title four years ago."I was expecting to be playing Serena, but Alize played an amazing game in the semis, so congratulations on that.