The Hindu : Sport : Venus makes a winning return

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Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
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Venus makes a winning return

Bhupathi-Henman duo advances with an easy win

CARLSBAD: Wimbledon champion Venus Williams returned to the WTA San Diego Classic tennis for the first time in five years on Monday, picking up from where she left off with a victory.

The 10th seed, who dominated the event from 2000 through 2002 with three trophies on the trot, began her eighth campaign with a 6-3, 6-0 first-round victory over Russian Anastasia Rodionova in just 50 minutes.

Williams was on court for the first time since winning two rubbers in a losing US effort this month in Fed Cup against Russia in Vermont the week after earning her fourth Wimbledon crown.

“I’ve never stopped playing since Wimbledon. I’m healthy and everything is working well in my game,” Williams said.

“I went for my shots a lot and tried to stay aggressive. I feel great going into the summer. When I’m healthy I can keep on building my game. I’m thrilled.”

The fiery Rodionova was on best behaviour after being fined $5,000 as she became only the second woman to be defaulted in WTA history.

Williams earned her 15th victory in succession at the event, being played for the last year after a WTA calendar shake-up. She stands 26-4 at the tournament.

“It’s good to be back,” said the only Williams sister in the field, her younger sibling Serena sidelined by a thumb injury sustained at Wimbledon.

Thai veteran advances

Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn lined up as a second-round opponent for top-seeded holder Maria Sharapova, booking her place over American Laura Granville 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

Second-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic will start against Vania King, who beat fellow American youngster Asia Muhammed 7-6(2), 6-0.

Seventh seed Martina Hingis, testing a back injury which led to an early Wimbledon loss, will face off in the second round after a bye against Michaella Krajicek.

Elena Dementieva joined Williams as a winner as she took out Catalina Castano 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 while Patty Schnyder beat Jamea Jackson 6-2, 6-1.

Sweden’s Thomas Johansson and Russian Igor Kunitsyn took the long way into the second round of the Legg Mason Classic with marathon three-set triumphs in Washington on Monday.

Johansson booked a second-round date on Wednesday with defending champion and fourth seed Arnaud Clement of France by defeating Colombian Santiago Giraldo 7-6(7), 6-7(5), 6-4, after two hours and 40 minutes.

Colombia’s Alejandro Falla beat American Robert Kendrick 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

In doubles action, Mahesh Bhupathi and Tim Henman advanced with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Hyung-taik Lee and his partner Michael Russell.

The results (all first round):

At Washington (Legg Mason Classic): Alejandro Falla bt Robert Kendrick 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; Robin Haase bt Alex Bogdanovic 6-4, 6-2; Evgeny Korolev bt Ricardo Mello 6-4, 6-4; Paul Capdeville bt Ilija Bozoljac 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; Igor Kunitsyn bt Sebastien Grosjean 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3; Thomas Johansson bt Santiago Giraldo 7-6(7), 6-7(5), 6-4; Martin Klizan bt Konstantinos Economidis 6-4, 6-3; Jan Hernych bt Nathan Healey 6-3, 1-1 retired.

At Sopot (Prokom Open): Mariano Zabaleta bt Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 7-5; Albert Montanes bt Diego Hartfield 6-1, 6-3; Jose Acasuso bt Werner Eschauer 6-2, 6-3; Michal Przysiezny bt Filippo Volandri 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. Sergio Roitman bt Juan-Ignacio Chela 6-1, 6-2; Florian Mayer bt Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-3; Stefan Koubek bt Agustin Calleri 0-6, 7-6(3), 7-5.

At Carlsbad (San Diego Classic): Tatiana Golovin bt Gisela Dulko 6-1, 2-6, 6-2; Maria Kirilenko bt Hana Sromova 6-1, 6-2, Venus Williams bt Anastasia Rodionova 6-3, 6-0; Tamarine Tanasugarn bt Laura Granville 6-4, 5-7, 6-4; Eleni Danii lidou bt Jill Craybas 6-4, 6-4; Camille Pin bt Tatiana Poutchek 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Anne Kremer bt Akiko Morigami 5-7, 6-4, 6-2; Patty Schnyder bt Jamea Jackson 6-2, 6-1; Michaella Krajicek bt Yuliana Fedak 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-2; Elena Dementieva bt Catalina Castano 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Angelique Kerber bt Brittany Augustine 6-0, 6-1; Aiko Nakamura bt Milagros Sequera 7-5, 0-0 retired; Alona Bondarenko bt Peng Shuai 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Vania King bt Asia Muhammed 7-6(2), 6-0; Elena Bovina bt Coco Vandeweghe 6-3; 7-5.

At Stockholm (Nordic Light Open): Youlia Fedossova bt Kaia Kanepi 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3; Julia Goerges bt Maria Elena Camerin 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4; Dominika Cibulkova bt Ksenia Milevskaya 5-7, 6-0, 6-3; Marta Domachowska bt Petra Kvitova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. — Agencies

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