Related News
Williams, Safina easily advance to quarterfinals at Sydney International
Source: Agencies |
January 13, 2009, Tuesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
TOP-SEEDED Serena Williams and No. 2 Dinara Safina made short work of their second-round opponents today to move into the Sydney International quarterfinals.
Williams, who was stretched to three sets and saved four match points in her opening match against Samantha Stosur of Australia, beat Sara Errani of Italy 6-1, 6-2 in 50 minutes today.
Her win at Ken Rosewall Arena, the center court at the Olympic Park Tennis Centre, came moments after Safina finished off a 6-3, 6-0 win over fellow Russian Vera Dushevina in just over an hour on Court 1.
Errani was in trouble from the outset, challenging two line calls within eight minutes of the first set -- and both went against her. Errani consulted with her coach after losing a third straight game and although she rallied at the beginning of the second set, the Italian seemed to lose her focus.
Williams said she was much more comfortable with her game today.
"I still think I can improve on some things, and that's what I want to do," Williams said. "I don't want to peak too soon. I just want to stay level for the whole season."
Four other seeded players in the women's draw at the joint ATP-WTA tournament also advanced today.
No. 3 Elena Dementieva of Russia beat Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-4 and No. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia beat Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (3). Sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland defeated Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5 and Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, the eighth-seeded player, beat Britain's Melanie South 6-2, 6-0.
Williams will play Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.
"Last I checked she was No. 12," said Williams. "She's probably even better now. It'll be a good match for me going into the Australian Open, and also for her as well."
In another match, Japan's Ai Sugiyama beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
In first-round men's play, Janko Tipsarevic, cheered on by dozens of boisterous, flag-waving Serbian fans, defeated eighth-seeded Mardy Fish of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Australian Chris Guccione used the hometown crowd to his advantage to beat No. 6 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4.
Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia continued his comeback from a five-month injury layoff to beat Frenchman Julien Benneteau 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 and Paul-Henri Mathieu of France beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
Hewitt, who plays Tipsarevic in the next round, has won the Sydney title four times and had a 20-match winning streak at the 2000 Olympic venue. The win maintained Hewitt's record of never having lost a first-round match in 19 tournaments in Australia.
"It was always going to be tough in the first sort of tournament match back for a while," said Hewitt, who had hip surgery in August.
"It's not easy to come out in match situations and just pick it up straightaway, doesn't matter how good you are. It's a matter of getting that confidence."
The top four men's seeds -- Novak Djokovic, Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and David Nalbandian -- received first-round byes. Djokovic, who begins the defense of his Australian Open title next week in Melbourne, plays Mathieu on Wednesday.
Williams, who was stretched to three sets and saved four match points in her opening match against Samantha Stosur of Australia, beat Sara Errani of Italy 6-1, 6-2 in 50 minutes today.
Her win at Ken Rosewall Arena, the center court at the Olympic Park Tennis Centre, came moments after Safina finished off a 6-3, 6-0 win over fellow Russian Vera Dushevina in just over an hour on Court 1.
Errani was in trouble from the outset, challenging two line calls within eight minutes of the first set -- and both went against her. Errani consulted with her coach after losing a third straight game and although she rallied at the beginning of the second set, the Italian seemed to lose her focus.
Williams said she was much more comfortable with her game today.
"I still think I can improve on some things, and that's what I want to do," Williams said. "I don't want to peak too soon. I just want to stay level for the whole season."
Four other seeded players in the women's draw at the joint ATP-WTA tournament also advanced today.
No. 3 Elena Dementieva of Russia beat Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-4 and No. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia beat Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (3). Sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland defeated Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5 and Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, the eighth-seeded player, beat Britain's Melanie South 6-2, 6-0.
Williams will play Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.
"Last I checked she was No. 12," said Williams. "She's probably even better now. It'll be a good match for me going into the Australian Open, and also for her as well."
In another match, Japan's Ai Sugiyama beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
In first-round men's play, Janko Tipsarevic, cheered on by dozens of boisterous, flag-waving Serbian fans, defeated eighth-seeded Mardy Fish of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Australian Chris Guccione used the hometown crowd to his advantage to beat No. 6 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4.
Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia continued his comeback from a five-month injury layoff to beat Frenchman Julien Benneteau 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 and Paul-Henri Mathieu of France beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
Hewitt, who plays Tipsarevic in the next round, has won the Sydney title four times and had a 20-match winning streak at the 2000 Olympic venue. The win maintained Hewitt's record of never having lost a first-round match in 19 tournaments in Australia.
"It was always going to be tough in the first sort of tournament match back for a while," said Hewitt, who had hip surgery in August.
"It's not easy to come out in match situations and just pick it up straightaway, doesn't matter how good you are. It's a matter of getting that confidence."
The top four men's seeds -- Novak Djokovic, Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and David Nalbandian -- received first-round byes. Djokovic, who begins the defense of his Australian Open title next week in Melbourne, plays Mathieu on Wednesday.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
