(adds details, byline) By Barry Wood DUBAI, Feb 21 - Venus Williams won her 40th
singles title on Saturday by defeating unseeded Virginie Razzano
6-4 6-2 to win the Dubai Championships. It was the 28-year-old American's seventh triumph in her
last eight finals, with her last title coming at the WTA
Championships in Doha in November. The opening set was closely contested, with her serve giving
Williams the edge at the beginning although that was eventually
dissolved by the quality of Razzano's returns. Once Razzano was able to return the ball in play, the
Frenchwoman rallied on equal terms with her opponent and
Williams had to fight off three break points to hold for 3-2. With Williams leading 4-3, Razzano, who was playing in her
first final since she defeated Williams in the Japan Open in
2007, received treatment to her lower back. Williams then broke in the final game of the set, earning
set point with a fine crosscourt backhand winner before Razzano
netted a forehand. The 25-year-old Razzano began to have difficulty with her
serve in the second set, double-faulting three times as Williams
broke to lead 2-0. Williams then surged to a 5-0 lead before Razzano offered
some late resistance and Williams uncharacteristically showed
signs of nerves. After failing to convert two match points on Razzano's serve
at 5-1 Williams double-faulted twice as she dropped the seventh
game but she finally closed out the match on her fourth match
point when Razzano netted a forehand. Thanks to her good run in Dubai which featured victories
over three seeds, including second-ranked Dinara Safina and
number five Vera Zvonareva, Razzano is projected to rise from
58th in the world into the top 40.
(Editing by Sonia Oxley)
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