Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams win US Open openers
Defending champion Kim Clijsters is through to the second round of the US Open after claiming a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Hungary’s Greta Arn in her opening match.
After cruising to the first set in just 18 minutes, Clijsters’ veteran opponent made the early running in the second set as she took a 4-0 lead before the Belgian settled and wrapped up the victory in one hour and two minutes.
The victory leaves Clijsters on a 15-match winning streak in Flushing Meadows, with her 2005 US Open title and 2009 US Open title separated by three year’s away from the tournament while the world No. 3 was in the midst of more than two years of retirement.
The story of her return to the sport last summer is writ large into US Open history, as three tournaments into her comeback, the mum-of-one took all before her to be crowned US Open champion in 2009.
The 27-year-old, a wildcard with little expectation of success last year, now has the pressure of a title defence to deal with but is at least one step closer with 19-year-old Australian qualifier Sally Peers next up for the second seed.
Joining Clijsters in the second round in New York is former champion Venus Williams, who also claimed a straight sets victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium on day one of the tournament.
The only seeded American in the women’s draw, Williams defeated Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1 as she peppered the Italian with 32 winners and 10 aces over the match’s one hour and 14 minute duration.
Venus, who if things go to plan will be playing Clijsters in the semi-finals in close to two week’s time, faces Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino in her second round match.
Another on the winners’ list on day one was former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, who defeated Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets on the Grandstand court to set up a second-round match against 21st seed Jie Zheng.
Last year’s top seed Dinara Safina, however, has bowed out in her opening match against 24th seed Daniela Hantuchova. Last week in New Haven, Safina had defeated Hantuchova in two tiebreak sets to book a place in the quarter-finals, but the Slovakian turned the tables with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in New York.
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