Serena enjoys easy opener
Source: Agencies |
June 23, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
SERENA Williams began the defense of her Wimbledon title with a comfortable first-round win yesterday, relying on an overpowering serve to beat 17-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito 6-0, 6-4.
Serena won all 27 points on her first serve and hit 15 aces, the last on her final shot. As the crowd applauded her victory, Serena curtsied, mindful Queen Elizabeth II is expected to visit Wimbledon for the first time since 1977 on Thursday.
Serena plays her second-round match that day and has said she hopes to meet the Queen.
Not that she needed additional motivation to advance. Serena is 43-0 in first-round matches at major events and has won 58 of her past 59 matches against players ranked outside the top 100.
French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur was not so fortunate, losing to qualifier Kaia Kanepi 6-4, 6-4. Stosur came into the tournament ranked a career-best sixth.
Two-time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova edged Akgul Amanmuradova 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4. No. 7-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Melinda Czink 6-3, 6-3, and No. 10 Flavia Pennetta beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4, 6-0.
American Sam Querrey, who won his first career grasscourt title at Queen's this month, advanced when opponent Sergiy Stakhovsky retired because of illness trailing 7-6 (4), 6-3, 2-1. Stakhovsky won the grass title this month at Den Bosch, Netherlands.
Since the start of the season, Kuznetsova has fallen from third in the rankings to 19th, dropping out of the top 10 for the first time in more than four years. The Russian lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open and in the third round as defending champion at the French Open.
Novak Djokovic was pleased that the All England Club closed the Center Court roof because of fading sunlight during his first-round match on Monday.
Wimbledon history
Wimbledon only installed the retractable roof last year, so there hasn't been many matches played under it, and the 10:59pm ending made it the latest finish on record at a tournament that began in 1877. "You don't get to see a lot of late-night matches in Wimbledon history," Djokovic said. "So I'm happy that in a way my name is in the history books."
The No. 3-seeded Djokovic was losing to 68th-ranked Olivier Rochus of Belgium before the court was covered, then came back to win 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 with the roof shut and the lights turned on.
Play was interrupted for about 35 minutes after the third set, as darkness began to descend, while the stadium was set up for indoor play.
"The break kind of helped me a little bit, because I didn't feel great at that moment on the court," Djokovic said.
"So to have a little ... break and just relax and focus, and reset my game and my mind, was helpful."
The 2008 Australian Open champion said it felt more humid on court with the roof closed.
Serena won all 27 points on her first serve and hit 15 aces, the last on her final shot. As the crowd applauded her victory, Serena curtsied, mindful Queen Elizabeth II is expected to visit Wimbledon for the first time since 1977 on Thursday.
Serena plays her second-round match that day and has said she hopes to meet the Queen.
Not that she needed additional motivation to advance. Serena is 43-0 in first-round matches at major events and has won 58 of her past 59 matches against players ranked outside the top 100.
French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur was not so fortunate, losing to qualifier Kaia Kanepi 6-4, 6-4. Stosur came into the tournament ranked a career-best sixth.
Two-time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova edged Akgul Amanmuradova 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4. No. 7-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Melinda Czink 6-3, 6-3, and No. 10 Flavia Pennetta beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4, 6-0.
American Sam Querrey, who won his first career grasscourt title at Queen's this month, advanced when opponent Sergiy Stakhovsky retired because of illness trailing 7-6 (4), 6-3, 2-1. Stakhovsky won the grass title this month at Den Bosch, Netherlands.
Since the start of the season, Kuznetsova has fallen from third in the rankings to 19th, dropping out of the top 10 for the first time in more than four years. The Russian lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open and in the third round as defending champion at the French Open.
Novak Djokovic was pleased that the All England Club closed the Center Court roof because of fading sunlight during his first-round match on Monday.
Wimbledon history
Wimbledon only installed the retractable roof last year, so there hasn't been many matches played under it, and the 10:59pm ending made it the latest finish on record at a tournament that began in 1877. "You don't get to see a lot of late-night matches in Wimbledon history," Djokovic said. "So I'm happy that in a way my name is in the history books."
The No. 3-seeded Djokovic was losing to 68th-ranked Olivier Rochus of Belgium before the court was covered, then came back to win 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 with the roof shut and the lights turned on.
Play was interrupted for about 35 minutes after the third set, as darkness began to descend, while the stadium was set up for indoor play.
"The break kind of helped me a little bit, because I didn't feel great at that moment on the court," Djokovic said.
"So to have a little ... break and just relax and focus, and reset my game and my mind, was helpful."
The 2008 Australian Open champion said it felt more humid on court with the roof closed.
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