Agence France Presse
Wuhan, Oct 3: Venus Williams won her biggest title in five years at the Wuhan Open here Saturday, after Garbine Muguruza retired making her the fifth player to pull out mid-match in the late-season tournament.
Venus was a set and three games up (6-3, 3-0) when the Spaniard stopped play at 53 minutes, handing the American veteran the 47th title win of her career, and her first victory at a WTA Premier Five event since she beat Victoria Azarenka in 2010 in Dubai.
Wimbledon finalist Muguruza – ranked World No. 8 and 15 places ahead of American veteran Venus – had a tough semifinal against Germany’s Angelique Kerber, winning in straight sets but falling during the closing tie-break and injuring her ankle.
But the 21-year-old said it was exhaustion not injury that made her pull out. “It’s a sad day I had to retire. Sometimes your body’s not recovered,” the 21-year-old said on court after the match.
Venus, who turned pro the year that Muguruza was born, was also struggling during the final with leg pain and had both of her thighs wrapped. She probably wouldn’t have lasted also had the Spaniard gone all the way. And she admitted that.
“I probably wouldn’t have had many chances if you had been feeling well,” Venus said after the match. “Hell, I was tired and exhausted also.”
The title win will put Venus back in the top 20 when the new rankings are released Monday, after entering the tournament here as No. 23.
