Tennis.com Zurich Open 2008

World #8 Venus Williams won the Zurich Open for the second time in her career, with a hard fought straight sets victory over Flavia Pennetta at the 6,300 capacity Hallenstadion.

A Tennis Europe partner event, the Tennis.com Zurich Open is one the final WTA Tier 2 events of the season, and featured a strong draw as the Tour's top stars battled for a share of the $600,000 prize money, as well as places at the season-ending WTA Championships. Several of the major contenders suffered upsets in their opening matches though, with new #1 Jelena Jankovic seeing her three-event win streak come to an end at the hands of Pennetta, #4 Vera Zvonareva forced to retire against Anabel Medina and #5 Agnieszka Radwanska edged by Katarina Srebotnik.

Venus marched through the early rounds confidently, but had to come from behind to defeat second seed Ana Ivanovic in the semi final, eventually emerging 46 63 64 to set up an intriguing match against Pennetta, the Italian world #15 who had suprisingly beaten the American on the last three occasions that they had met, including just last week in Moscow. Another upset looked to be on the cards in the first set as Pennetta weathered a storm of heavy hitting to take the third seed to a tie break, but it was one way traffic from there, with Venus conceding just point.

The second set was one way traffic as the American, also a champion in Zurich in 1999, grew in confidence - at one point serving four consecutive aces to win her service game to love - and closed out the match 76(1) 62. The win marks Venus 38th career title, but just her second of the year, following on from her Wimbledon win, and more importantly, clinches her places at the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's season-ending championships in Doha.

Following the match, tournament director Beat Ritcschards made an emotional speech thanking those involved in the event throughout it's 25-year history. The 2008 edition will be last staging of the tournament, formerly known as the European Indoor championships.

Draws

For more from Switzerland's biggest women's tennis event, visit the official Zurich Open website.