Former world number one Serena Williams surged past Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-1 Sunday to win the WTA Stanford crown, her first title in more than a year, signalling her US Open intentions. Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam champion who is battling to rebuild her ranking after an injury layoff of almost a year, claimed her first title since Wimbledon 2010. “Coming back and hearing the claps when I walk out there are moments that I truly missed,” Williams said. “It’s so awesome to be back and to be a part of those moments. “Not everyone can be sports — I don’t know if ‘star’ sounds full of myself — but I’ve worked hard for that title. “So, yes, I say it and I take pride in it.”
The American was twice down a break in the opening set, but broke Bartoli as the French third seed served for the set at 5-4. That launched a roll of eight straight games to the American as she pocketed the first set and took a 5-0 lead in the second. After Bartoli held serve for 5-1, Williams served out the match after one hour and 22 minutes. With the victory Williams avenged her fourth-round loss to Bartoli at Wimbledon and showed that even though her ranking has plummeted she could be a contender at the last Grand Slam of the year, the US Open that starts in New York on August 29. Williams has already elected to use an injury-protected ranking to gain entry to the US Open main draw, the US Tennis Association said this month. The system allows a player who has been sidelined for six months or more by injury to use a special injury-protected ranking to enter up to eight tournaments, including one Grand Slam. Williams missed almost a year after suffering a cut foot that required surgery shortly after her 2010 Wimbledon triumph, an injury that was later followed by dangerous blood clots in her lungs.
