World number 16 Ana Ivanovic has beaten Venus Williams 6-2 5-7 6-4 in the final of the Auckland Classic.
The 26-year-old, who scaled the summit of the world rankings by winning the French Open in 2008, had not tasted success since beating Anabel Medina Garrigues in Bali in November 2011.
After clinching the first set 6-2 against Williams, who she had not beaten since the 2008 Australian Open, the Serbian had two match points at 5-4 in the second.
However, the 33-year-old American mounted a stirring comeback to tie the match at one set apiece.
Ivanovic broke in the first game of the third set and had to fend off two break points for a 5-3 lead before eventually serving out for her 12th WTA championship.
