Venus Williams played virtually flawless tennis to ease past defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-3 6-3 to win the Bank of the West Classic last weekend in Palo Alto, California.

"I'd like to think that for someone to beat me, they would have to play an almost perfect match," Venus said.

The top seed served with power and variety, controlling the vast majority of the pair's brutal baseline exchanges.

Clijsters was guilty of lacking ambition on Williams' second serve and was unable to impose enough authority in her own service games to compete with her taller opponent.

After an entertaining first five games, the four-time grand slam champion broke Clijsters to move 4-2 ahead.

Williams closed out the set in impressive style, stretching for a backhand volley winner at deuce and followed that with a 112mph ace.

She wasted little time to impose herself in the second set, breaking Clijsters in the opening game with a trademark back-court winner.

She broke Clijsters again to lead 3-0 after a gorgeous backhand crosscourt passing shot left the 19-year-old Belgian stranded.

"Against Venus, you have to get a lot of first serves in because she takes advantage of your second serve," said Clijsters, who won a meagre 58 per cent of her first serve points and only 47 per cent of her second serve points.

Williams didn't drop a set during the tournament, her first title win since Amelia Island in early April.

It was also the second time she had won the event where she made her professional debut eight years ago.

Despite the victory, Venus remains at number two in the world rankings behind her younger sister, Serena.