Charleston, April 21:

Serena Williams captured the Family Circle Cup title by defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Sunday for her first clay court title since the 2002 French Open.

Williams’ third consecutive title this year followed victories in Bangalore and Miami. She was a WTA Tour-best 19-1 in matches this year, including the last 15 in a row, after winning her 31st career title on the green clay here.

“I feel like I have some momentum behind me and I just want to keep going,” said the fifth-seeded Williams, who won $197,000 and a crystal cup at the $1.3 million tournament. Unlike earlier matches at the Family Circle, Williams started strong, winning the first set and scattering 10 aces during the final.

Williams improved to 5-1 against Zvonareva, who lost her third final this year. In the third set, Zvonareva broke Williams in the third game — the final point on Williams’ second double-fault of the day. But Williams broke back in the next game, then held serve at love in the next. She then broke Zvonareva a second time, taking advantage of two double-faults.

It was Williams’ fifth appearance in Charleston, but her first title. She was runner-up to Justine Henin in 2003.

Valencia Open

VALENCIA: Top-seeded David Ferrer rallied to beat Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2) on Sunday and win the Valencia Open for his first title of the year.

Ferrer came back from a 5-2 final-set deficit to twice break Almagro’s serve and force a tiebreaker. “It was the toughest tournament of my life,” said Ferrer, who had saved two match points in a quarter-final win over Fernando Verdasco. Ferrer improved to 4-0 against the two-time defending champion Almagro, who lost for only the second time in 20 clay matches this season despite firing 11 aces.

In the all-Spanish matchup, Almagro broke Ferrer’s erratic serve early to take the first set. Ferrer had saved two previous breakpoint chances. But the 27th-ranked Almagro couldn’t maintain his momentum going into the second set as Ferrer converted his first break chance in the sixth game when Almagro hit wide. Almagro later hit long to give Ferrer his second break point and the set.

Almagro broke to lead 2-0 in the third set after Ferrer hit long, and had a chance to serve it out after breaking again with a winner on the line for 5-2. But Ferrer broke right back and then again in the 10th game to level.