Two former champions advance on Day 1 at The All England Club

No. 2 seed Serena Williams and No. 24 seed Maria Sharapova both advanced after winning their first round matches with a battle, while Elena Dementieva demolished her opponent with ease on Day 1 at the Wimbledon Championships.

Williams, a two-time champion in London, easily won the first set of her match against qualifier Neuza Silva, but then it became tough. Serena eventually won with a score of 61 75.

"No one wants to lose in the first round, so everyone you play is always really into it and really fighting," Williams said. "My opponent definitely increased her level in the second set. It's just a point here or there that can break a match, so concentration was important. I thought I could have played better on the key points, but hopefully I'll get there as the tournament progresses."

Sharapova, who won here in 2004, had a harder time on court, against qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova, but managed to close it out, 75 64.

"I played against a really solid opponent who went for many shots and who's aggressive, playing like she didn't have much to lose," Sharapova said. "Her game suits the grass well and she had three good matches in qualifying, so I knew she'd be dangerous. I just hung in there. There's still work to be done, but I always feel pretty comfortable on the grass."

Dementieva succeeded in winning her match against Alla Kudryavtseva, 64 61.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Singles - First Round

(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (Q) Neuza Silva (POR) 61 75

(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 64 61

(8) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Severine Brémond Beltrame (FRA) 62 ret.(left knee injury)

(10) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) 61 61

(12) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) 60 60

(14) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Julie Coin (FRA) 64 36 63

(16) Zheng Jie (CHN) d. Kristina Barrois (GER) 76(2) 76

(4) Ai Sugiyama (JPN) d. (21) Patty Schnyder (SUI) 64 64

Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. (23) Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 46 64 64

(24) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (Q) Viktoriya Kutuzova (UKR) 75 64

(26) Virginie Razzano (FRA) d Tamira Paszek (AUT) 60 31 ret.(low back injury)

(27) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (Q) Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) 62 75

(28) Sorana Cirstea (ROU) d. Edina Gallovits (ROU) 75 61

(31) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 62 62

Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. (WC) Laura Robson (GBR) 36 64 62

Elena Vesnina (RUS) d. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 61 61
Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Stéphanie Foretz (FRA) 63 75

Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. Ayumi Morita (JPN) 62 62

Roberta Vinci (ITA) d. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 63 62

Shahar Peer (ISR) d. Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) 62 76(3)

Jarmila Groth (AUS) d. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 63 36 63

Urszula Radwanska (POL) d. Masa Zec Peskiric (SLO) 63 63

Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) d. Nathalie Dechy (FRA) 16 76(0) 62

Sania Mirza (IND) d. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 62 26 62

Mathilde Johansson (FRA) d (WC) Melanie South (GBR) 75 76(5)

Jill Craybas (USA) d. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 64 75

Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) d. (Q) Vesna Manasieva (RUS) 61 46 86

(Q) Regina Kulikova (RUS) d. Karolina Sprem (CRO) 46 75 63

(Q) Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) d. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 64 64

(WC) Michelle Larcher de Brito (POR) d. (Q) Klara Zakopalova (CZE) 62 75

Suspended due to darkness

(7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) is tied with (WC) Georgie Stoop (GBR) 76(0) 46

Vera Dushevina (RUS) leads (22) Alizé Cornet (FRA) 36 60 42