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Two former champions and world no.1s made their comeback on Wednesday and both were winners to move into the second round of the Sony Ericssion Open in Miami.
Playing her first match since the US Open, Venus Williams easily got past another veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-0, 6-3 in 77 minutes and will meet Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova next.
“It was great to be back out there,” Williams commented. “It was definitely a bit nerve-wracking, especially playing an opponent I know is talented in my first match back, but I was able to get a great start and settle in and play well against a really difficult opponent. It was definitely an ideal, ideal start.”
“Just to be in this tournament is a huge win for me,” Williams said. “That’s what I told myself going in, that this is a win. I have nothing to lose, just to gain. I just tried to get in the tournament – there were a lot of tournaments I didn’t make.
Also moving into the second round was Kim Clijsters, who needed three sets to overcome Aussie Jarmila Gajdosova. Clijsters is now ranked outside the top 30 after several injuries have limited her playing schedule in the last 12 months. The Belgian plans to retire at the end of this year.
In other first round matches, American teens Madison Keys and Sloane Stpehens were first round winners as was 23 year old American Vania King, former world no. 11 Shahar peer and former Wimbledon quarter finalist Michaella Krajicek.
Singles – First RoundKim Clijsters (BEL) d. Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) 46 61 60Polona Hercog (SLO) d. (Q) Jamie Hampton (USA) 61 63Ksenia Pervak (KAZ) d. Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) 64 60Iveta Benesova (CZE) d. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 76(5) 61Vania King (USA) d. Laura Pous-Tio (ESP) 62 76(12)Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (Q) Alizé Cornet (FRA) 64 62Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) d. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 64 75Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) d. (Q) Vera Dushevina (RUS) 76(3) 64Michaella Krajicek (NED) d. (Q) Eva Birnerova (CZE) 57 64 60Sílvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) d. (Q) Misaki Doi (JPN) 63 64(Q) Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) d. (Q) Urszula Radwanska (POL) 36 76(5) 64(Q) Sloane Stephens (USA) d. Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 46 76(4) 64(Q) Stéphanie Foretz Gacon (FRA) d. (WC) Olivia Rogowska (AUS) 64 61(Q) Valeria Savinykh (RUS) d. Klara Zakopalova (CZE) 63 75(Q) Melinda Czink (HUN) d. Alberta Brianti (ITA) 61 62(Q) Madison Keys (USA) d. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 67(4) 62 61(WC) Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) d. Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) 46 63 60(WC) Venus Williams (USA) d. Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) 60 63(WC) Garbiñe Muguruza Blanco (ESP) d. Ayumi Morita (JPN) 63 26 30 ret.
