WIMBLEDON: Venus Williams powered into the third round of Wimbledon with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Ekaterina Makarova on Centre Court on Wednesday.
Makarova showed a lot of fighting spirit to stay in the match in the second set, even breaking the second seed when she served for the match, but in the end Williams showed why she is so formidable on grass by sealing victory at the next opportunity.
Kim Clijsters made light work of her fifth consecutive win against the dangerous Karolina Sprem. The eighth seed, who is making her first Wimbledon appearance for four years, gained a routine 6-3, 6-2 victory in the first match on Court One to book her place in the third round. The former world number one will next play 28th seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia. Clijsters had won all four previous clashes with the Croatian in straight sets, conceding just 14 games in the process, and little has clearly changed since their last meeting in 2005.
Justine Henin was made to sweat in the midday sun before overcoming Kristina Barrois in the second round. While some spectators sought shade under umbrellas and others liberally applied lotion, Henin sported a white baseball cap to keep the sun out of her eyes on Court Two. She looked set for a swift win after moving a set and 5-2 ahead, but Barrois, who began the match with a white headband but soon found a cap was essential, broke serve twice to put the match almost back in the balance. Henin was not to be upset though, and won back to back games to clinch a 6-3, 7-5 victory in an hour and 22 minutes.
In other matches, Shahar Peer, the No 13 seed from Israel, lost to Angelique Kerber of Germany, while No 30 seed Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan also lost. France’s Marion Bartoli, seeded 11, won when her opponent, Croatia’s Petra Martic, withdrew. Russians Nadia Petrova and Maria Kirilenko also were victorious.
In men’s singles, three-time Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick moved into the third round with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) victory over France’s Michael Llodra. Roddick, the fifth seed, was back in action on Centre Court for the first time since his 16-14 last-set defeat to Roger Federer in last year’s final.
The former US Open champion had crushed compatriot Rajeev Ram on Court One in the first round, but now he was back in the arena where he fought back tears of frustration after that loss 12 months ago.
Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, the 2002 winner, advanced after Kazakhstan’s Evgeny Korolev quit their match in the third set. Jurgen Melzer, the No 16 seed from Austria, defeated Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in a five-set match, while Florian Mayer of Germany ousted America’s Mardy Fish in four sets.
Gael Monfils of France and Spain’s Feliciano Lopez were other seeds to advance.
