(AP)
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Venus Williams won her first WTA tournament in more than two years, beating Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-2, 6-3 to take the Luxembourg Open title today. Slowed by injuries and illness for two seasons, Williams showed she still had the winning touch and played steady tennis while Niculescu proved error-prone as she sought her first career victory. At 32, Williams won her 44th singles title in a career that includes seven Grand Slam victories.
The 70th-ranked Niculescu lost in the Luxembourg Open final for the second straight year. Williams, now ranked No. 41, had not won a tournament since early 2010, when she took the titles in Dubai and Acapulco.
