PARIS: World number one Serena Williams eased into the second round of the Paris Open with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Czech Iveta Benesova on Wednesday.
Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic had a much tougher time as she needed over two hours to see off Italy's Francesca Schiavone 7-5, 7-6.
Australian Open champion Williams won six games in a row to take the opening set and ended Benesova's misery with a backhand winner as the clock ticked past the hour.
The American top seed will next meet qualifier Karolina Sprem of Croatia for a quarter-final spot.
"I played as I expected. Since the Australian Open, I slept a lot, I have been sick," Williams told reporters.
"It was a little virus, but not the flu. I resumed training on Tuesday, when I came here. But I'm getting better."
Jankovic, who lost her world number one spot to Williams after losing in the fourth round in Melbourne last month, needed just a break to take the opening set.
Following an exchange of breaks in the second, Schiavone hammered Jankovic with powerful forehand groundstrokes and even had a set point at 5-4.
Jankovic, however, saved it to force a tiebreak she easily won 7-2 to set up an encounter with China's Li Na.
Earlier, Amelie Mauresmo gained revenge for her Fed Cup defeat by Sara Errani and thrashed the Italian 6-2, 6-0 in 58 minutes.
Errani had beaten Mauresmo on Sunday en route to Italy's 5-0 win over France in the women's team event.
Swiss sixth seed Patty Schnyder beat Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko to set up a second round meeting with France's Nathalie Dechy.
Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Serena-eases-into-Paris-Open-second-round/articleshow/4115163.cms
Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic had a much tougher time as she needed over two hours to see off Italy's Francesca Schiavone 7-5, 7-6.
Australian Open champion Williams won six games in a row to take the opening set and ended Benesova's misery with a backhand winner as the clock ticked past the hour.
The American top seed will next meet qualifier Karolina Sprem of Croatia for a quarter-final spot.
"I played as I expected. Since the Australian Open, I slept a lot, I have been sick," Williams told reporters.
"It was a little virus, but not the flu. I resumed training on Tuesday, when I came here. But I'm getting better."
Jankovic, who lost her world number one spot to Williams after losing in the fourth round in Melbourne last month, needed just a break to take the opening set.
Following an exchange of breaks in the second, Schiavone hammered Jankovic with powerful forehand groundstrokes and even had a set point at 5-4.
Jankovic, however, saved it to force a tiebreak she easily won 7-2 to set up an encounter with China's Li Na.
Earlier, Amelie Mauresmo gained revenge for her Fed Cup defeat by Sara Errani and thrashed the Italian 6-2, 6-0 in 58 minutes.
Errani had beaten Mauresmo on Sunday en route to Italy's 5-0 win over France in the women's team event.
Swiss sixth seed Patty Schnyder beat Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko to set up a second round meeting with France's Nathalie Dechy.
Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Serena-eases-into-Paris-Open-second-round/articleshow/4115163.cms
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