Serena wins opener on her return to court
Source: Agencies |
March 24, 2012, Saturday
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SERENA Williams returned to tournament tennis after a two-month absence and beat Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-3 at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, on Thursday.
Aside from two Fed Cup victories in February, the match was the first for Williams since she lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open. She had been slowed by a left ankle injury.
Williams, who received a first-round bye because she is seeded 10th, is a five-time Key Biscayne champion. She missed the tournament in the past two years because of ailments.
Two-time champion Kim Clijsters defeated No. 14-seeded Julia Goerges 6-2, 7-5. No. 13 Jelena Jankovic lost her opening match to Mona Barthel 6-0, 6-3.
No. 2-seeded Maria Sharapova overcame 12 double faults and erased 10 break points to rally past Shahar Peer of Israel 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, while No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-4, 6-0. US Open champion Sam Stosur beat Russian qualifier Valeria Savinykh 6-4, 6-0 and American qualifier Sloane Stephens ousted No. 30 Sara Errani 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Williams' victory also marked her first match at Key Biscayne since she lost to Victoria Azarenka in the final three years ago. "I was really nervous out there," Williams said. "I haven't played here for so long, and I wanted to do well. My worst fear actually was as long as I don't hit a ball in the stands, I'll be good. I didn't do that today, so it worked out well for me."
Williams looked right at home, and not just because her purple dress matched the color of the court. The five-time champion lives two hours up Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens. Williams, who received a first-round bye because she's seeded 10th, looked fit but rusty and endured some sloppy moments. At one juncture she froze in a pose behind the baseline, hands on her hips as she fumed after making a flurry of mistakes.
Aside from two Fed Cup victories in February, the match was the first for Williams since she lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open. She had been slowed by a left ankle injury.
Williams, who received a first-round bye because she is seeded 10th, is a five-time Key Biscayne champion. She missed the tournament in the past two years because of ailments.
Two-time champion Kim Clijsters defeated No. 14-seeded Julia Goerges 6-2, 7-5. No. 13 Jelena Jankovic lost her opening match to Mona Barthel 6-0, 6-3.
No. 2-seeded Maria Sharapova overcame 12 double faults and erased 10 break points to rally past Shahar Peer of Israel 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, while No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-4, 6-0. US Open champion Sam Stosur beat Russian qualifier Valeria Savinykh 6-4, 6-0 and American qualifier Sloane Stephens ousted No. 30 Sara Errani 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Williams' victory also marked her first match at Key Biscayne since she lost to Victoria Azarenka in the final three years ago. "I was really nervous out there," Williams said. "I haven't played here for so long, and I wanted to do well. My worst fear actually was as long as I don't hit a ball in the stands, I'll be good. I didn't do that today, so it worked out well for me."
Williams looked right at home, and not just because her purple dress matched the color of the court. The five-time champion lives two hours up Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens. Williams, who received a first-round bye because she's seeded 10th, looked fit but rusty and endured some sloppy moments. At one juncture she froze in a pose behind the baseline, hands on her hips as she fumed after making a flurry of mistakes.
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