Tennis Star Camila Giorgi:Turns Down $150m Deal offer due to.... Venus Williams defied her physical problems to beat Italy's Camila Giorgi in an emotional first-round thriller at the Birmingham Classic. American Williams appeared to be in tears after taking a medical timeout just five games into the match. However, with her right knee heavily strapped, the 43-year-old battled to a 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (8-6) win. It was only Williams' second singles victory in almost two years after lengthy injury lay-offs. I hit some 120mph serves and I haven't done that in a couple of years - I was like, I've missed you!" Williams, now ranked 657, said. "I thought I played well today and she did too. I'm surprised she's not number one in the world. "There were so many moments where I thought the match was over and she hit a shot out of nowhere so she pushed me to be better than what I thought I could be." "I got off to a great start and my leg started hurting in the third game and I thought 'oh no not this,'" Williams continued. "It was difficult to control my emotions. Eventually I just tried to ignore it - I could not move as well as I wanted but I tried to get to every ball." She had lost at the Libema Open last week, her first grass-court tennis tournament back, but she displayed her signature grit to defeat Giorgi despite having a heavily strapped right knee. After taking a medical timeout, former world number one Williams nearly broke down in tears after securing an early double break in the opening set. Despite the hefty strapping on her knee and some sluggishness in between points, Giorgi attempted to capitalize, but the five-time Wimbledon singles champion saved break point with back-to-back aces.