Defending champion continues quest after easy win; top seed challenged, but through on Day 2 in London

Today at the Wimbledon Championships, defending champion Venus Williams crushed her opponent in easy straight sets, while top seed Dinara Safina also advanced after winning in two not-so-easy sets.

Third seeded Williams demolished Stefanie Voegele in her debut match with an easy score, 63 62.

"It was pretty straightforward. I really enjoyed being out there. It's a special moment when you walk back onto that court as defending champion and throw those balls up for that first point," Williams said. "Obviously I feel very good here, and I take advantage of that feeling."

Safina faced Lourdes Dominguez Lino, and even though the Russian hit more unforced errors, 30 for Safina and 28 for Dominguez Lino, she still won, 75 63.

No. 6 seed Jelena Jankovic had a tough time against Julia Georges, but won 64 76(0).

"Today was a tough round. I get a lot of confidence from passing these kinds of rounds. She was serving well and hitting the ball quite hard, and on the grass that gives you a hard time," Jankovic said. "I stayed tough in all of the important moments, especially when I was down 5-2 or 5-3 in the second set. I managed to raise my level and close the match out in the tie-break."

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Singles - First Round

(1) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. Lourdes Domínguez Lino (ESP) 75 63

(3) Venus Williams (USA) d. Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 63 62

(5) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. Akiko Morigami (JPN) 63 76(1)

(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Julia Goerges (GER) 64 76(0)

(7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. (WC) Georgie Stoop (GBR) 76(0) 46 64

(9) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (WC) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 57 63 61

(11) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) 75 61

(13) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 57 62 86

(15) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 36 61 60

(17) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) d. Melinda Czink (HUN) 61 46 62

(18) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 64 67(6) 62

(19) Li Na (CHN) d Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 76(5) 60

(20) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Marta Domachowska (POL) 36 63 64

Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. (22) Alizé Cornet (FRA) 36 60 64

Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. (25) Kaia Kanepi (EST) 46 63 63

(Q) Melanie Oudin (USA) d. (29) Sybille Bammer(AUT) 46 64 62

Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) d. (30) Agnes Szavay (HUN) 75 64

Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. (32) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) 46 76(4) 62

Iveta Benesova (CZE) d. (WC) Katie O'Brien (GBR) 62 57 64

Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (WC) Alexa Glatch (USA) 64 26 64

Sara Errani (ITA) d. Stéphanie Dubois (CAN) 75 62

Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 64 64

Tathiana Garbin (ITA) d. (Q) Alberta Brianti (ITA) 64 63

Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) d. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 63 76(5)

Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d. Monica Niculescu (ROU) 61 60

Pauline Parmentier (FRA) d. Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 64 16 63

Patricia Mayr (AUT) d. Anne Keothavong (GBR) 75 62

Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. Tatiana Perebiynis (UKR) 46 63 64

Rossana de los Ríos (PAR) d. Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) 64 67(5) 64

Vania King (USA) d. Mariya Koryttseva (UKR) 64 62

(Q) Tatjana Malek (GER) d. Jelena Dokic (AUS) 36 75 62

(LL) Kristina Kucova (SVK) d. (Q) Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 26 63 63