ZURICH, Switzerland (AP):

Venus Williams won the Zurich Open yesterday for her second singles title of the season.

Williams beat Italy's Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (1), 6-2 to take the tournament she last won as a teenager in 1999. The win should seal the 28-year-old American's place at the season-ending WTA Tour Championship in Doha next month. She also won at Wimbledon this year.

"I love the pressure," Williams said. "I need it in my life.

"It is great to come here and play my best tennis of the week in the final against someone who is playing as well as she is."

Pennetta had upset top-ranked Jelena Jankovic in round two and went in with a 3-1 career record against Williams, beating her in Moscow last week.

Tough game

"She just played unbelievably today," the 17th-ranked Pennetta said. "It is tough to play against someone who serves like she did today. I didn't have any chance to make any breaks."

Williams is expected to climb one place to No 8 when the new WTA rankings are published today. Pennetta hopes to rise three spots to a career-best 14th.

The first set went with serve with neither player allowing a break-point opportunity. Williams served at deuce in the ninth and 11th games but delivered a big service winner or put enough pressure on her opponent's volleying technique to end the threat. Williams dominated the tiebreaker, racing to a 6-0 lead. Pennetta saved one set point but then netted a backhand.

Williams created her first break chance at 1-1 in the second set and Pennetta netted another double-fisted backhand. The next game saw Williams deliver four-straight aces.

"I have never had one of those games before," she said. "That was obviously a great moment."