Bartoli stuns Venus Williams in California

Marion Bartoli defeated Wimbledon finalist Venus Williams 6-2 5-7 6-4 this morning to win the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.

The 24-year-old Frenchwoman, seeded eight, won her fifth and biggest Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title by prevailing in three sets against the second-seeded American.

Williams, who had won this event twice, was out of sorts through the first set and a half of the final, losing the first set and falling 5-3 behind in the second before finding some form with four straight games.

However, Bartoli - who saved two match points in her semi-final defeat of Jelena Jankovic - regained her composure before winning the contest in two hours and 43 minutes.