Serena cruises through in Paris

Wednesday, 11 February 2009

Serena Williams was on court for just under an hour in defeating Benesova Serena Williams coasted through the first round of the Paris Open with a 6-1 6-4 win over Iveta Benesova. In her first tournament since clinching a fourth Australian Open, the American went through to meet Karolina Sprem with an assured straight-sets win. Jelena Jankovic, recently deposed by Williams at the top of the women's rankings, had a more testing opener. She was pressed hard throughout by Italian Francesca Schiavone, but eventually emerged with a 7-5 7-6 win. Williams overpowered her Czech opponent from the off, winning six successive games to claim the first and establish a stranglehold on the match. Benesova rallied in the second, but the world number one was always in control and closed out the match with a backhand winner. "I was OK. I wasn't great, but I was so glad to win," said Williams. "This was a little better than Australia because I didn't play well in my first two rounds there." 606: DEBATE Serena is at number one, back to winning ways, and very tough mentally MrInvisible Williams also paid tribute to Benesova, who briefly threatened to impede her progress with a break in the first game of the second set. "She raised her game and I made some key errors on some key points. But then I was able to get a little confidence and that's pretty much what happened," she added. In a closely fought match Jankovic and Schiavone traded serve through the first before the Croatian finally stole a break in the 12th game. The second set swung back and forth with two breaks apiece before Jankovic saw off a set point at 5-4 down and then went on to take the tie-break 7-2. "She gave me a tough time and she's always a tough player to play against," Jankovic said. "This is what I need right now, to play these matches and get my confidence back. Because when I get into my rhythm, I become really dangerous." Elena Dementieva followed the two top seeds into the next round overcoming France's Aravane Rezai 6-4 6-3 to put her course for a meeting with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Agnieszka Radwanska recovered well from losing the first set of her match against Alisa Kleybanova to register a 6-7 6-4 6-2 win. Sixth seed Patty Schnyder negotiated her way past Alona Bondarenko 6-4 7-6, while tournament number eight Amelie Mauresmo also advanced with a comfortable 6-2 6-0 win over Italy's Sara Errani.