Serena takes China title

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Serena Williams got back to winning ways with victory over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the China Open on Sunday.

The American, celebrating her 23rd birthday, won 4-6 7-5 6-4 to claim her first title since Miami in March.

It was a tight match, with Williams smashing her racket berating a line call in the first set and saving a match point in the second.

But Williams stormed 5-2 clear in the decider and held on for victory.

"I think the key to the victory was that I never gave up, I really didn't want to lose today," said Williams.

I look calm on the outside, but inside I'm on fire Serena Williams

"I just played crazy, I normally don't play very well when I play like that. I was psycho out their just trying to hit the ball as hard as I could."

And Williams admitted she had been in fighting form all week long.

"On average I crack about 100 rackets a year," she said. "I've cracked four while I have been in Beijing.

"I'm really bad, I have a demeanour where I look calm on the outside, but inside I'm on fire."

Kuznetsova was disappointed to see her winning streak come to an end after titles at the US Open and in Bali.

"I lost because I missed some balls," said the Russian. "Maybe I wasn't in the best condition to win the match, but I was out their fighting, I brought the game to her.

"In the second set I had some chances, at 4-2 I was serving, I had many chances, but sometimes you just don't serve well and you really can't do anything about that.

"In the third set, I didn't play well, I couldn't push well with my legs, still I had a lot of chances to come back."

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