By Erik Gudris | Saturday, February 22, 2014

 

Not dropping a set all week, Venus Williams completed a stellar run by defeating Alize Cornet to claim her third Dubai title.

Photo Credit: AP

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final featured an unlikely pairing between two players who both had a breakthrough week before even reaching the last round.

An unseeded Venus Williams, though a two-time winner of the event, displayed fine form in beating Ana Ivanovic, Flavia Pennetta and Caroline Wozniacki en route to reaching the final. With her massive serve and fiery forehand in full flight, and not in patches as we've seen in earlier matches during her comeback, Williams certainly got her many fans excited that perhaps the elder stateswoman of the tour isn't done just yet.

Williams expected to face her younger sister and top seed Serena Williams on Saturday. Instead, she was probably just as surprised to watch Alize Cornet of France play scintillating tennis to beat the world No.1. Cornet, known for wearing her heart on her sleeve in matches, kept her composure in closing out the biggest win of her career. But in reaching her second Premier final on such dramatic terms, the question for Cornet was, did she believe she could beat another Williams to take the title?

Early in the opening set, Cornet proved she just might. Cornet used her scrappy style of play to take an early break from Williams, who wasn't yet dominating the rallies. But soon enough, Williams broke back, finding ways of ending the rallies on her terms, usually with a forehand winner. Going down 15-40 on her serve, the often emotional Cornet threw her racquet down in disgust. Williams broke for 4-2 and then extended her lead to 5-2 thanks to a horrible drop shot from Cornet that Williams easily chased down to smack away another winner.

On the changeover, Cornet appeared to sob in dismay as her coach tried to console her. Would Cornet's emotions get the better of her again before the set was even over? Cornet managed to compose herself long enough to save two set points against her in the next game and force Williams to serve for the set. Williams obliged by striking a blazing backhand winner to take it 6-3.

The grueling rallies between both women continued into the start of the second set, but with an early break, Williams took the lead 3-0. Cornet did her best to fight back and earn break points on Williams' serve, but the American navigated her way out of the tricky game to hold for 4-0. In control, Williams again fired off another forehand winner to break for 5-0.

Now serving for her first title since 2012, Williams didn't finish it off in style. Down a break point, Williams found a way to win yet another extended rally to get back to deuce. As she yelled out a "Come on!" it was the first real sign of emotion from Williams, who had remained stoic throughout. Cornet would save one match point with a clever drop shot followed with a lob, but it only delayed the inevitable.

When Cornet sent a forehand wide on the second match point, Williams could finally celebrate the 6-3, 6-0 win.

"I need to play here every year," a smiling Williams said afterwards when asked why she does so well in Dubai. This is now her third title there and she remains unbeaten at 15-0 in three appearances since 2009. But this week, and this now 45th career singles title, felt bigger for Williams who only a short time ago endured repeated calls for her to retire.

Williams confirmed that by saying, "Actually it does. It hasn't been easy for me. I have to give many thanks to my family…They were always keeping me up when I was down."

Is Venus Williams all the way back? If she can use Dubai as a springboard to greater success in 2014 remains to be seen. Though her performance this week will be called "vintage," Williams proved once again that winning never goes out of style.