Serena Williams Successfully Defends Stanford Title

World No. 4 Serena Williams successfully defended her 2011 Stanford title, beating fellow American Coco Vandeweghe in the final, 7-5, 6-3.

Williams, fresh off her 14th Major title at Wimbledon last week, did not drop a set on her way to winning the WTA Premier event in Stanford, her 43rd career WTA title.

Vandeweghe, a so-called “lucky loser,” made it into the tournament despite losing in the final round of qualifications. According to the WTA, she is the first lucky loser to reach a WTA final in five and a half years, since Melinda Czink at Canberra in January 2005.

Vandeweghe, currently ranked World No. 120, will rise more than 40 spots in the WTA rankings when they are released on Monday.