Australian Open - Women: Easy for Williams sisters

Eurosport - Wed, 21 Jan 05:18:00 2009

American Serena Williams made a bright start to her Australian Open campaign with a 6-3 6-2 win over China's Yuan Meng.

TENNIS Serena Williams and Yuan Meng Australian Open 2009 - 0

Williams cruised to victory in 75 minutes, proving too good for Yuan despite making 31 unforced errors in the match.

Williams won the Australian Open in 2003, 2005 and 2007 and is seeded second for this year's event.

Venus Williams joined her younger sister in the second round after an enigmatic 6-3 6-3 victory over Germany's Angelique Kerber .

Sixth seed Venus, who is still seeking her first title at Melbourne Park despite having five Wimbledon and two US Open titles, raced to a 5-0 first-set lead against the world number 100, who then won the next three games and saved a set point.

The 28-year-old Williams, however, snapped out of her funk to hold serve and take the first set before Kerber put up a tougher challenge in the second, having two opportunities on serve to take a 4-1 lead.

Williams again responded to level at 3-3 and broke to take a 4-3 lead, at which point Kerber sought treatment on her heavily strapped right knee.

The injury break only delayed the inevitable and the world number six steamrolled to victory by holding serve and breaking to love to seal the win in 80 minutes.

World number four Elena Dementieva survived the scorching heat and a feisty counter-attack from Germany's Kristina Barrois to advance to the second round.

Dementieva, who is unbeaten so far this year after claiming titles in Auckland and Sydney, extended her winning streak to 11 matches with the 7-6 2-6 6-1 victory.

Barrois had run riot in the second set then held two break points in the first game of the third with an opportunity to upset the Beijing Olympic champion, before the Russian rallied in temperatures pushing 40 degrees Celsius.

Dementieva will next meet Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.

Standing in the way of a possible Williams semi-final are Dementieva, in the same part of the draw as Venus, and Svetlana Kuznetsova, who battled for 100 minutes before downing Australia's Anastasia Rodionova.

The eighth seeded Russian, in Serena's quarter of the draw, beat the Australian 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska was an early casualty, however, falling 7-6 4-6 6-1 to Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko.

Other players to progress included 13th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, while China's unseeded Peng Shuai sent Italian 28th seed Francesca Schiavone packing. Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng Jie beat France's Camille Pin.

Amelie Mauresmo, the champion in 2006, showed no signs of the thigh strain that forced her out of the Brisbane International in her 6-4 6-3 win over Olga Govortsova.

See the Australian Open live through to the final on February 1 on the Eurosport Player. Access live action each day from up to five different courts in Melbourne and catch up on the big games through video on demand. Click on the link under the picture to subscribe.

AFP / Reuters

Comment 5 - 24 of 24

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  1. Mauricechlela What Are You Talkin About It's Clear As Day That If Venus Comes Up Dementieva She Will Show Her Who's Boss , I'm Sure ;)

    Don't Get Me Wrong I Like The Serbian Players and The Russians etc. But You Can't Bet Against The Williams Sisters... All It Takes Is One Shot From Venus And Her Vee Engine Is On..!! :D And If Serena Can Keep Her Emotions In Check And Errors Low , She Has A Great Chance Too ...

    From stephen1421991, on Wed 21 Jan 10:10PM

  2. I remember Francoise Durr who was indeed a very gritty French tennis player. However she was around when Chrissy Evert, Yvonne Cawley and Tracy Austin were winning all the slams and I don't recall Durr being able to win against those players who will readily tell you today that they were well below the power of the girls in the modern game.

    From sanchez.santos, on Wed 21 Jan 4:34PM

  3. clispyduck....the point you raised had been well debated for many years with intelligent contribution from the experts who understood all the ramifications of the issue and, they have unanimously arrived at the current position. It would appear that you have commented on the issue from a simplistic standpoint of the fittest should earn more. I will suggest that the contribution from the women is comparatively similar to that of the men when all the relevant facts are considered. If it was proven that women could only physiologically attain a fraction of what men could achieve in tennis, then the prize money available to either a man or woman who reaches the ultimate height of their capacity should in fairness be the same because the entertainment value is similar.

    From sanchez.santos, on Wed 21 Jan 4:25PM

  4. They will get their @#$% whopped by either the russians or the serbians like when dementieva demolished Serena in the previous week.

    From mauricechlela, on Wed 21 Jan 3:31PM

  5. WILLIAMS ARE SIMPLY THE BEST. VENUS TO WIN THO

    From P B, on Wed 21 Jan 10:20AM

  6. I personnaly believe if they get to the semi finals. The victor will be the number 1 this year. I think down to fitness i can see Venus she seems to be playing some of her best tennis at the moment. DOES ANYONE AGREE

    From B, on Tue 20 Jan 11:02PM

  7. I THINK FRANCOISE DURR WOULD HAVE WON AGAINST EITHER OF THE WILLIAMS SISTERS.
    ALISON.

    From Nicholas, on Tue 20 Jan 11:00PM

  8. ALISON. POST 17
    YES GOOD LUCK FROM ALISON.
    ALISON.

    From Nicholas, on Tue 20 Jan 9:35PM

  9. Face facts. The womans game is riddled with easy games up to the semi-finals. It is in no way as strong as the mens competition in ANY way. I find it ridiculous that the PC world we live in pays the women players as much as the men for doing a worse job AND for working less than the men do too. Women should play best of 5 sets and then we'd see a different game plan for a change and then it would be "fair" to be equal. Just like the men do.

    From crispyduck, on Tue 20 Jan 9:18PM

  10. EASY FOR SERENA TODAY WILL SHE PLAY VENUS IN THE SEMI FINAL I THINK SHE WILL.IF THEY MEET IT WILL BE 3 SETS AND THE BEST WILL WIN. GOOD LUCK.
    ALISON.

    From AJ, on Tue 20 Jan 8:54PM

  11. poorman - the name says it all !!

    From Igor K, on Tue 20 Jan 8:33PM

  12. Venus williams and Dementieva are the girls to watch out for.

    From lopezmaxi92, on Tue 20 Jan 5:57PM

  13. goodluck to all the girls. please, send us money for the support . or charity need your support.

    From Augustine A, on Tue 20 Jan 4:05PM

  14. it makes no difference if the williams sisters meet in the semi or finals. they have done it in all the major at the peak of their career.. by repeating it at Sw last year tells teh story about these amazing girls. please, williams take it easy for without your participation, women tennis would have lost the luster.
    goodluck and just participate in the tournaments. JJ and the russian groups have a lot to prove of their tennis this time. goodluck girls. unforutnately, the british lazy girls have done it again. what a shame for these talentless lots

    From Augustine A, on Tue 20 Jan 4:04PM

  15. I idolize him very much. Just saw him chatting with a girl at____Wealthy beauty co m_____. I am wondering what kind of relationship he is looking for on that site.

    From flyerdu2009, on Tue 20 Jan 2:08PM

  16. I am an open-mineded single girl who love sports. I want to end my single life by meeting
    a guy who likes sports too. Let's mingle at the club ___ kISs M ill iona ireS Co m __

    From chdf3e36, on Tue 20 Jan 12:22PM

  17. poorman3000 is ugly, take a look at him, spineless, idiotic, brainless and unemployed,he doesnt know anything about tennis either,

    From nechi, on Tue 20 Jan 11:47AM

  18. poorman3000...........still singing the same tune?? I'll bet big money you are a very ugly scumbag. Congrats to all the big stars for passing the first hurdle, save for poor Agnieska, I hope JJ wins her first slam here.

    From sanchez.santos, on Tue 20 Jan 11:40AM

  19. THey are strong but they do get on your nerves a bit with all that posing and scratching themselves during the games

    From taff, on Tue 20 Jan 11:04AM

  20. the williams sisters have to meet in the semis if they get that far

    From jjmalone, on Tue 20 Jan 10:57AM
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