Serena Williams Get 2010 Off To Winning Start
12 January 2010
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Serena Williams got her season of to a fine start as she strolled to victory 6-1 6-2 against Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
The women’s world number one should have been in action yesterday at the Sydney International tournament but Justin Henin’s withdrawal because of injury meant she was given a bye to the second round.
The world number one barely broke a sweat as she stepped onto the court for the first time this season in her final preparations for the Australian Open.
She will now face Russian Vera Dushevina in the next round as she completed a straight sets victory over compatriot Elena Vesnina 6-3 6-4.
Former world number one Dinara Safina faced an opening set breakdown as she lost the first five games in the opening twenty minutes to Agnieszka Radwanska.
The Pole came out firing on all cylinders and Safina had no answer to her opponents play in the opening exchanges.
But Safina, who was playing for the first time since pulling out of the end of tour championships injured, pulled herself and her game together to take the next nine games to take the opening set and forge the advantage in the second.
After the issues of the opening few games Safina, who will be looking for her maiden Grand Slam title in the Australian Open this month, put her troubles behind her and held off the talented pole.
She wrapped up a straight sets 7-5 6-4 win in an hour and forty seven minutes.
There was another shocking exit on the second day of the tournament as French Open champion failed to see off Dominika Cibulkova losing 7-5 6-2.
She follows former world number one Jelena Jankovic and 2009’s U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki out of the tournament.
Elena Dementieva came through a tough match against Daniela Hantuchova finally wrapping up a victory 6-2 4-6 6-2.
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