DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The hope of an all-Williams final at the Dubai Championships ended on the racket of Frenchwoman Alize Cornet on Friday. Scott Niedermayer Jersey . The 26th-ranked Cornet scored her first career victory over a No. 1 player when she upset Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4. "Im so excited," Cornet said, smiling broadly. "I didnt expect that definitely, and Im really, really happy and proud of myself. "Shes one -- or maybe -- the biggest champion of history, and, wow, just thinking that I beat her today." Earlier in the day, Venus Williams earned her spot in the final when she dominated eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3, 6-2. Serena Williams, playing in her first tournament since losing in the Australian Open fourth round, offered no excuses. She said her back, which had been hurting in recent weeks, was fine. "Im a wee bit embarrassed," said Williams, who started laughing. "She played really well. I just didnt play today. "I tried, though. I dont think I have made that many errors in a match in I think at least three years, maybe four years." Williams gave herself a failing grade for being unable to find a winning formula for the match: "I think out of a 10, I was at like a negative 283." Cornet won the first set when Williams flinched while serving in the ninth game. Cornet, who reached the Paris Indoors semifinal earlier this month, took advantage of her one-set point in the 10th game with a winning backhand down the line. The Frenchwoman then jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the second set, but Williams rebounded. Cornet broke Williams serve again in the seventh game with a winning forehand down the line. Williams fought off four match points on her own serve in the ninth game, but Cornet served out the match at love. "I know her, and I know she feels the moment when she has to put more into making the opponent feel that shes still here," Cornet said. "But I did it, too. I showed her that I would be there till the end. "So when she was screaming louder, I was screaming louder. She was hitting harder, I was hitting harder." In contrast to her sister, the 44th-ranked Venus Williams has been playing top level tennis all week long in Dubai. A former two-time Dubai champion in 2009 and 2010, Williams currently holds a 14-match winning streak at the tournament. She didnt play in this event between 2011 and 2013. "I feel like Ive just gotten so much better since my first round to now, just feeling comfortable on the court, feeling comfortable when Im behind, feeling comfortable when Im in the lead," Williams said. Williams, who lost the Auckland final to Ana Ivanovic last month, lost an early 2-0 lead in the first set. But from 2-2, Williams always held the lead in the match. Williams failed to serve out the first set at 5-2, surrendering that eighth game at love. Wozniacki, however, surrendered her serve -- and the first set -- on a second set point in the next game Williams broke Wozniackis serve at 15-40 with a textbook backhand volley for a 2-0 lead in the second set. She broke serve again in the eighth game for the win. "I didnt really feel like I could go out and play what I wanted to play," said Wozniacki, who won the Dubai trophy in 2011. "Once I got going, she started to play better as well. It was kind of uphill today." Venus Williams holds a 3-0 lead in matches played against Cornet. Lubomir Visnovsky Jersey . -- Get a flow chart ready to follow the Packers quarterback situation. Devin Shore Jersey . He chirped to the caddie of Brandt Snedeker about their money game, a Mickelson tradition at the majors. Lefty was in good spirits Monday at the British Open, except for having to return the claret jug. https://www.cheapducks.com/ . A spokeswoman for the NLRB says its "a very incremental move" and does not necessarily indicate the board is close to a finding in the case. NFL owners filed an unfair labour charge against the players union in February, arguing that the union was not negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in good faith.DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki says he wasnt thinking about the last time the Dallas Mavericks blew a 30-point lead and lost. The biggest collapse in franchise history was a long time ago, and he was too busy trying to make sure it didnt happen again. Nowitzki scored 22 points, Devin Harris hit the go-ahead shot in the final minute and the Mavericks rallied in the fourth quarter after blowing their huge first-half lead, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 103-98 Friday night. "Youre just out there battling," Nowitzki said. "Theyre a very, very good team. They came back a lot quicker than we wanted it to be, but we kept fighting and got the win." LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 30 for Portland, including 18 in the third quarter when the Blazers went in front for the first time at 69-67 after trailing 44-14 early in the second quarter. But Nowitzki didnt pause to remember Dec. 6, 2002, when the Mavericks lost at the Los Angeles Lakers 105-103 after leading 66-36 early in the third quarter. Rick Carlisle wasnt dwelling on the blown lead either. "How many whatever-point leads have we blown this year?" the Dallas coach said. "Theres been tons of them. Weve got to work to prevent it. Theres no harder way to do it than what happened tonight." The score was tied 98-all when Aldridge missed a shot from the lane and Harris won the scramble for the rebound. He dribbled the length of the floor and hit a leaning shot on the baseline and was fouled by Damian Lillard with 24 seconds left. "He busted my mouth open, so I knew I wasnt all the way in front of him," Lillard said. "But I figured since that was the second time that he dipped his head into my face, I figured they would call offensive foul. We still had a couple opportunities after that that we didnt take advantage of." After Harris free throw put Dallas up by three, Aldridges pass went over Lillards head out of bounds. Monta Ellis missed two free throws, but Vince Carter slipped between a pair of Portland players for the offensive rebound and was fouled. Carter made both free throws, and Ellis had a steal to seal a wild win that snapped the Mavericks season-high three-game losing streak. "I had some big miscues down the stretch," said Alddridge, who had 17 rebounds. Hampus Lindholm Jersey. "I missed some shots down the stretch. Fighting all the way back, being up and having the opportunity to win and not taking care of business." Dallas took its first 30-point lead at 40-10 on Brandan Wrights alley-oop dunk from Ellis early in the second quarter, one of many easy breakaway baskets early. Thomas Robinson had six points on a 12-1 run that started Portlands comeback, getting the Blazers within 19. That was Dallas margin to begin the third quarter, when Aldridge took over, scoring six straight early in the period and another six straight later. The Blazers, who led by 38 in a blowout win over the Mavericks the last time they were in Dallas in January, wiped out the last of the deficit on a 3-pointer by Wesley Matthews to knot it 67-all with 4:02 left in the third. The Blazers went ahead for the first time at 69-67 on a putback by Aldridge. "It was unbelievable," Wright said. "We got outscored by I dont know how much after that first quarter being up 40-10. They went on a heck of a run, but all its going to say in the paper tomorrow is that we got the W." The lead changed hands three more times late in the third, setting up a back-and-forth battle in the fourth. Portland pushed out to an 85-78 lead on another 3 from Matthews, who had 26 points, and a jumper from Mo Williams, but Harris hit a 3-pointer to finish an 8-0 Dallas run for a 90-89 lead. The Blazers went back up 98-92 on an alley-oop dunk by Aldridge, but Dallas pulled even when Sam Dalembert stole the ball from Lillard and tossed to Ellis for a breakaway layup. Jose Calderon had 19 for Dallas, including 15 in the first quarter. Ellis had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Nowitzki had six assists and five rebounds. Harris finished with 12 points. NOTES: Robinson returned after missing four games with a left knee injury. He fouled out with 7:52 remaining. ... Ellis made his 500th career start. ... The Mavericks shot 53 per cent in their 115-110 loss to Denver on Wednesday. It was their best shooting percentage in a loss this season. ... The Blazers had season lows for points in a quarter (10) and the first half (38). The previous low for a first half was 41 in a 90-89 win over Phoenix. ' ' '