Venus Williams Upset at Stanford

Marion Bartoli, of France, returns to Venus Williams, of the United States, during the final of the Bank of the West tennis tournament in Stanford, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

(AP)

Marion Bartoli recalled days of scrapping away snow in her native France to practice tennis with her father and coach. Those thoughts made her victory Sunday all the more special.

Bartoli upset Venus Williams 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the championship match of the Bank of the West Classic to win her first WTA Premier Tour title, and her first on American soil.

"It would be zero degrees outside and we'd sweep off the snow just to practice," said Bartoli, who earned $107,000 for the win. "People would say I wouldn't be any good at tennis if I let my dad (Dr. Walter Bartoli) coach me. That was about the time Venus was just starting out and coached by her dad. She went to No. 1. That helped me develop mental toughness."

Her father still coaches her and has a unique form of motivation.

"He told me before the week there's no way I would make the final," Bartoli said. "Today he said the only goal was to avoid losing 6-0, 6-1."

Williams, making her first appearance at the event since 2005, reached her seventh final in eight appearances at Stanford. She's won two titles and none since 2002.

"Marion played really well," Williams said. "I couldn't find my game. I was fighting myself a lot and I couldn't find the court. I'm not used to that."

The eighth-seeded Bartoli, who lost in last year's final, played a steady match against the second-seeded Williams, ranked third.

Bartoli will likely move into 12th, up two places, when the next rankings are released. Williams is expected to remain third.

"Venus is one of the greatest champions ever," Bartoli said. "That's what I practice for, to play her. To beat her is even better."

Bartoli made an adjustment this season with her serve to get more power from her legs, and it helped keep Williams — who favors a strong baseline game — on her heels at times.

"I have to give Marion credit," Williams said. "That's one of the best games she's played since I've seen her."