Serena Williams survives injury scare to regain WTA Championship

ISTANBUL (AFP) - Serena Williams overcame an injury scare here Tuesday during a winning start to her bid to cap a brilliant comeback season by regaining the WTA Championship title.

The Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic champion appeared to pull a gluteal muscle attempting a retrieve in the first set but played through the discomfort to win 6-4, 6-1 against Angelique Kerber, a debutant in this elite eight event.

Williams' tenacious efforts thus earned her revenge over the improving German left-hander, who upset her in their last meeting, at Cincinnati in August, and who had her moments early on this time too.

The unofficial favourite nevertheless denied that she had suffered any problems, saying: "I feel like I am moving fine, getting a lot of balls back, being really defensive, running down drop shots really easily." None of that sounded like Williams' more usual bellicose approach to the game, however, and certainly there were a few minutes in the fifth and sixth games when a different outcome seemed possible.