Rogers Cup

Radwanska downs Williams for first Montreal title

ESPN staff

August 10, 2014

Agnieszka Radwanska had previously never got past the semi-finals in Montreal © Getty Images

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Venus Williams may have got the better of her younger sister and world No.1 Serena in the semi-finals but she was no match for Agnieszka Radwanska as the third seed stormed to a 6-4 6-2 victory for her first Rogers Cup title.

Radwanska, also the first Polish winner of the Canadian Open, picked up her first tournament victory of the year and the £263,000 winner's prize. Williams earned £130,000.

The 25-year-old Radwanska used her relentless baseline game to dominate a tired-looking Williams, who was coming off an emotional, three-set victory over her younger sibling on Saturday.

Radwanska, ranked fifth in the world to Williams' 26th, had twice reached the last four at the Rogers Cup and is her first tournament victory since 2013 at Seoul.

The Krakow native shot off to a 4-1 lead, but Williams answered with a break that had the fans on their feet. Radwanska hit a drop shot, Williams dropped back, Radwanska hit a lob and Williams got back in time to win the point with a cross-court smash.

Radwanska settled back in to finish the set and opened the second with a service break. After Williams broke to tie it at 2-2, she gave the break to Radwanska with a pair of double faults. Radwanska cruised the rest of the way, punctuating her victory with an ace on match point.

Williams, a seven-time grand slam champion, had an excellent week that will put her back into the world top-20, including wins over sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber and 14th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro.

She fell short in her bid to become the event's oldest champion. Martina Navratilova won 52 days short of her 33rd birthday in 1989.

Organisers announced the tournament drew 181,996 spectators, topping the previous high of 175,000. Sales were boosted by the recent success of Eugenie Bouchard, but the Quebec native lost her first match on Tuesday to Shelby Rogers.