4 Jan 2014

Ivanovic defeats Venus to win Auckland Classic

5:54 pm on 4 January 2014

Ana Ivanovic has won the final of the Auckland tennis Classic beating Venus Williams in three sets.

The Serbian second seed broke the 33 year old Williams twice in the first set, once in the second and again in the third to win, 6-2 5-7 6-4.

The former world number ones were labelled the tournament's drawcards with organisers hoping their show down in the final would create maximum exposure for the event.

The 26 year old Ivanovic, who's ranked 16th in the world, won the French open in 2008 and defeated the tournament's third seed and her doubles partner Kirsten Flipkens in the semi finals.

Ranked 48th in the world, Williams lacked the edge that propelled her to seven grand slam titles, but didn't go down without a fight, coming back from 4-2 down and a match point to win the second set and force a third.

Her once legendary service game was broken again in the first game of the third set before the world number 16 closed out the match, 6-4.

Williams collected a runner's up cheque for 26 thousand dollars and Ivanovic was awarded 43 thousand dollars for the victory.