Sports
Serena Williams eases into second round in Madrid Open
Serena
Williams eases into second round in Madrid Open
Madrid, May 5 World number one Serena Williams needed less than an hour on
Monday to get her campaign for the Mutua Madrid Open off to a comfortable start
with a 6-4, 6-0 win over fellow American Sloane Stephens, media reported on
Tuesday.
Williams, despite a slow start, soon found her rhythm and Stephens had no
answer to her power on the beaten clay of the Caja Magica center court, Xinhua
reported.
Williams was joined in the second round by number five seed, Caroline
Wozniachi, who nevertheless needed an hour and a half to dispatch qualifier
Christina McHale 7-5, 6-0 after being made to dig deep in the first set which
she won in the 12th game.
The morning saw good news for the womens' seeds as number 9 seed Agnieszka
Radwanska needed just over an hour to win her match against Casey Dellaqua 6-2,
6-2, and 13th seed Lucie Safarova also had a sets (6-3, 6-1) win over Tsevlana
Pironkova.
The experienced Russian Svetland Kuznetsova had to dig deep against unfancied
Spaniard, Gabine Muguruza, who raised her game with the support of the Madrid
fans, but finally lost after 2 hours and 40 minutes, (6-3, 5-7, 7-5).
Australian, Samantha Stosur also booked her place in the next round thanks to a
6-3, 6-2 victory over Finland's Kaia Kanepi.
In the men's tournament, big-hitting number 16 seed, John Isner qualified in
two sets, although he was made to work hard for his 7-6 (2), 6-4 win against
France's Adrian Mannarino.
Meanwhile local favorite Feliciano Lopez had to work a lot harder to defeat
Benjamin Becker 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
The big serving left hander from Toledo is one of the few Spaniards who is
happier on a fast court than on beaten clay, but he is helped by the altitude
at Madrid which means the ball flies through the air faster than in many
tournaments played at sea level.