Venus eclipses Capriati

Williams has not lost in the Ericsson Open since 1997

V Williams (US) beat J Capriati (US) 4-6 6-1 7-6 (7-4)

Venus Williams recovered from dropping the first set to beat Jennifer Capriati and claim the Ericsson Open in Florida.

The Wimbledon and US Open champion overcame the Australian Open winner to claim her third title at the Key Biscayne event.

She took two hours and 24 minutes in humid conditions to subdue the 25-year-old Capriati.

After losing her first set of the tournament, Williams recovered to take the second set and then a 6-1 tie-breaker lead in the deciding set.

But Williams sent a backhand wide, double faulted and hit a backhand long before finally clinching the match when Capriati netted a forehand.

Capriati suffered in the heat

Williams overcame eight match points and 71 unforced errors to get past Capriati who was not helped by 16 double faults.

Capriati had three match points serving at 5-4 in the final set, and five more serving at 6-5.

She double faulted on her final match point, and Williams saved that 26-point game to make the score 6-6 and force the tiebreaker.

Capriati, who had won 17 of her last 19 matches, was gracious in defeat: "It was a super close match. It was too bad somebody had to lose."

The defeat meant Capriati has yet to claim at title in her home state of Florida.

Williams has now won 18 consecutive matches in the tournament after claiming the 1998 and 1999 events before missing last year with wrist tendinitis.

Williams last lost here when Swiss star Martina Hingis beat her in the third round in 1997.

The 20-year-old will now climb to a career-high number two in the world rankings when they are released on Monday.

It is the first title of the season for Williams who withdrew from a semi-final clash with sister Serena two weeks ago at Indian Wells because of tendinitis in her knee.

"I have never survived so many match points," confessed Williams. "But I guess there is a first for everything."

"She missed a few shots and I was able to stay in there. I just kept getting back in it some way or another."