Serena overpowers Schnyder to win Bangalore Open

BANGALORE, India -- Third-seeded Serena Williams clinched the Bangalore Open title Sunday, defeating fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-3 in the final.

Williams dominated the 1-hour, 23-minute contest with her powerful serve and ground strokes. Schnyder committed several unforced errors in trying to hit deep and keep Williams at the baseline, a ploy that often saw her hitting long or wide.

"It's good to be a champ here, it always feels good to win," said Williams.

"I did not want to make too many errors. That was my game plan, but I did not stick to it," she said. "It wasn't my best match. Patty played well and forced me to do better."

Facing two break points in the fifth game of the first set, world No. 11 Williams was warned for court violation and racket abuse as she cursed and smashed her racket on the ground.

"I'm passionate about what I do. I got too passionate, my grip was wet and that's what happened," said Williams.

Williams broke Schnyder's service in the sixth game of the opening set, but dropped her own serve in the seventh.

Serena Williams dominates on the way to her first WTA Tour title in 2008. (AP)

Williams wasted two sets points in the 10th game when she failed to break Schnyder, who stayed level at 5-5. In the 12th game, Williams again let go of two set points, but the third swayed in her favor when Schnyder sent a return into the net.

They traded service breaks in the first three games of the second set, with Schnyder breaking Williams in the first and third games.

Williams surged ahead by breaking Schnyder in the sixth and eighth games.

Serving for the match in the ninth game, Williams put all her effort into saving two break points and won on the first match point she held.

"When you're playing a champion like Serena, you've got to be at your best," said world No. 12 Schnyder.

"The first set could have gone either way. Serena was really focused, she played tough and it was difficult for me to play my game even when I was 5-5," said Schnyder.

"I was tired the way she made me run around. That shouldn't have happened, but I could not figure it out," she said.

Third-seeded Peng Shuai and Sun Tiantian of China won the doubles title, defeating top-seeded pair Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung of Taiwan 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 in a hard-fought final.