Venus survives after first set loss; Justine, Kim advance after straight sets wins in Miami

It was very nearly derailed, but the Venus Williams winning streak kept on growing at the Sony Ericsson Open on Monday, as the No.3 seed and three-time former champion won her season-leading 13th match in a row with a 16 75 64 comeback victory against Daniela Hantuchova.

Williams, who is looking for her third straight Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title after triumphing in Dubai and Acapulco, had never lost in nine previous meetings with Hantuchova, but it was beginning to look like 10th time unlucky as the No.19-seeded Slovak used her pinpoint groundies to build a daunting 61 20 lead.

Never one to surrender, Williams fought through Hantuchova's relentless attack with her own offense, winning seven of the next 10 games to take the second set and edging her in the third as well. The American served the match out at love thanks to some huge serving - one of her serves into the body actually hit Hantuchova, but there were no hurt feelings.

"I haven't seen her play so well in a long time," Williams said. "She was really executing her game. Of course, I'd like to win in a more straightforward way, but when it counts and when times get tough, I always feel confident I'm going to find a way to win the point. When I hit it hard she got it back, when I hit it high she got it back. So, just a real testimony to how well she was playing today."

And that final game? "I'd like to play every game like that," she said. "I found a little extra something in myself. It was a perfect game to end it."

Williams narrowly avoided the upset, but some others weren't so lucky. No.1 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova fell to No.13 seed Marion Bartoli, 63 60; No.4 seed and defending champion Victoria Azarenka fell to No.14 seed Kim Clijsters, 64 60; and, in a minor upset, No.7 seed Jelena Jankovic lost to No.9 seed Samantha Stosur, 61 76(9). Jankovic, who had beaten Stosur just last week, held two set points in the second set tie-break before falling.

Holding form were No.2 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who eased past No.22 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 62 62; No.6 seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Yaroslava Shvedova, 61 64; and No.12 seed Yanina Wickmayer, who rolled past Timea Bacsinszky in a 55-minute demolition, 60 61.

At night, Justine Henin - a wildcard into the draw - beat No.11 seed Vera Zvonareva, 61 64. It was her sixth straight set win in six career meetings with the Russian. Henin, ranked No.33, will return to the Top 30 after this event.


Monday, March 29, 2010

Singles - Fourth Round
(13) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. (1) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 63 60
(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (22) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 62 62
(3) Venus Williams (USA) d. (19) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 16 75 64
(14) Kim Clijsters (BEL) d. (4) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 64 60
(6) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 61 64
(9) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (7) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 61 76(9)
(WC) Justine Henin (BEL) d. (11) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 61 64
(12) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 60 61