Williams into second round after tough battle
AUCKLAND: American fanfavourite Venus Williams dropped the second set and went down a break in the third before eventually overcoming Belarussian Victoria Azarenka in the feature match of the day at the ASB Classic women’s tennis tournament in Auckland last night, winning 63, 16, 63.
Williams, the seventime grand slam champion and sixth seed at this year’s tournament, is aiming to claim her second title in Auckland following her win in 2015, while Azarenka was continuing her long return to tennis following the birth of her son, Leo, in 2016.
Both are former world number ones and it showed as they played a seesawing first round match that featured some great rallies, clean hitting, and fightbacks galore.
Azarenka came back strongly in the second set and continued her momentum into the third, breaking Williams’ serve in the first game.
But Williams broke back immediately.
Azarenka broke again in the fifth game to lead 32, but Williams again responded, and broke again in game eight to help to grind out a tough win.
Williams now advances to the second round to play former champion Lauren Davis.
It could be the last time Wil liams plays in Auckland, as the 38yearold edges closer to the end of her glittering 25year career.
Two seeds were knocked out of the tournament in other day two matches yesterday.
Fourth seed Croatian Petra Martic lost to young American Sofia Kenin in three sets, and eighth seed Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium had to retire with an ankle injury.
Defending champion and secondseeded Julia Goerges of Germany beat Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 60, 64.
Fifth seed Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic survived a strong challenge from American Taylor Townsend, winning 62, 67, 63.
Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium beat American Sachia Vickery 62, 62 and SuWei Hsieh of Taipei beat Polona Hercog of Slovenia 62, 63.