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Serena Makes Emphatic Start; Wozniacki Tested
Miami, USA
by Staff
|21.03.2013
© Getty ImagesSerena Williams is chasing a record sixth Miami title
Five-time champion Serena Williams opened her Sony Open Tennis campaign on Thursday in Miami, dispatching Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-1 on Stadium Court.
Playing her first tournament since reclaiming the WTA No. 1 Ranking, Williams looked every bit the world’s top-ranked player. The Palm Beach Gardens resident won 84 percent of her first serve points and saved all seven break points she faced to claim victory in 77 minutes. Williams improved to 4-0 against the Italian.
“I felt like I should be putting the balls away, but she was so quick and she was running every ball down,” said Williams. “I was trying to get myself more pumped up [with] more energy because I believe she was in the Top 10 at one point… But it's always just good to win a match and stay in the tournament and keep going.”
In the third round, Williams will play Ayumi Morita. The 50th-ranked Morita upset No. 30 seed Yanina Wickmayer 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-3, winning two more points than the Belgian.
Ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki topped qualifier Karolina Pliskova 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and 17 minutes. Wozniacki reached the semifinals last year, ousting Williams along the way. The Dane is coming off a runner-up finish at Indian Wells (l. to Sharapova).
Wild card Andrea Petkovic led 10th seed Marion Bartoli 6-3, 4-1 when Bartoli was forced to retire with a left foot injury. Petkovic will face Ajla Tomljanovic for a place in the round of 16. The Croatian wild card knocked out 24th-seeded Julia Goerges with a 7-6(4), 6-2 victory. Goerges committed 10 double faults in defeat.
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