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CINCINNATI, July 19: Former world number one Serena Williams made a spectacular return to action on Tuesday sweeping past second seed Anastasia Myskina of Russia 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.
Sidelined with an injured left knee since the Australian Open, Williams showed few signs of rust or nerves, disposing of the 2004 French Open champion in just 56 minutes at the season- opening hard court event.
After missing the French Open and Wimbledon, Williams has an eye on the US Open and underlined her hard court credentials with a ruthless display against the world No 11.
Out of action since the third round of the Australian Open, the muscular Williams broke Myskina at the first opportunity on the way to claiming the opening set.
“I think there's definitely some rust there still but I think mentally I did better than I thought I was going to do,” Williams told reporters.
Despite her prolonged absence, Williams had few lapses in concentration and was clearly enjoying being back in the tennis spotlight.
“What I missed most was the competition,” said the seven-time Grand Slam winner, who has now won all four career meetings with Myskina.
“I've always said, I love to win whether it's a match or a tournament. I love winning. I think I missed that a lot.”
Myskina was the only seed to be shown the exit on a busy day of action.
Fourth-seeded Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) win over Paraguay's Rossana De Los Rios while fifth-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic eased into the second round with 6-3, 6-2 win over Ukrainian Olga Savchuk.
Sixth-seed Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli cruised past Taiwan's Chin-Wei Chan 6-2, 6-3 while eighth-seeded Gisela Dulko of Argentina defeated Poland's Marta Domachowska 7-5, 6-3.
Tuesday’s results:
First round: Bethanie Mattek (US) beat Shenay Perry (US) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Vasilisa Bardina (Russia) beat Hana Sromova (Czech Republic) 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2; Serena Williams (US) beat 2-Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 6-2, 6-2; Varvara Lepchenko (Uzbekistan) beat Natalie Grandin (South Africa) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; 8-Gisela Dulko (Argentina) beat Marta Domachowska (Poland) 7-5, 6-3; 9-Sania Mirza (India) beat Alexandra Stevenson (US) 6-1, 2-0 – Stevenson retired; Meng Yuan (China) beat Mariana Diaz Oliva (Argentina) 6-3, 7-5; Abigail Spears (US) beat Alexa Glatch (US) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4; 6-Marion Bartoli (France) beat Chin-Wei Chan (Taiwan) 6-2, 6-3; 4-Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Rossana Neffa-de los Rios (Paraguay) 6-3, 7- 6 (7-3); Maria Elena Camerin (Italy) beat Carly Gullickson (US) 6-1, 6-1; 5-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) beat Olga Savchuk (Ukraine) 6-3, 6-2.
RODDICK ROUTS DELGADO
INDIANAPOLIS: Andy Roddick began his bid to return to the world's top 10 by crushing Ramon Delgado 6-3, 6-2 to reach the RCA Championships third round on Tuesday.
The American, Indianapolis champion in 2003 and 2004, dropped to 11th in the rankings following his third-round defeat at Wimbledon, the first time the 2003 US Open champion has been out of the top 10 since 2002.
Roddick fired eight aces against the Paraguayan, including one on match point, to improve his tournament record to 13-1 on his favourite hardcourt surface.
“I feel really motivated, I can't wait to get out there and play,” Roddick told reporters. “I played solid throughout, I wasn't defensive at all. I accomplished a lot of things that I wanted to.”
Compatriot Robby Ginepri opened his title defence with a battling 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Colombia's Alejandro Falla.
The fourth-seeded American double-faulted on match point before serving out three games later to complete victory in over two hours.
Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, the third seed, faced little opposition from the 200th-ranked Sam Querrey, booking his third-round place with a 6-3, 6-4 win over the American wild card.
The South American world number 16 needed just 67 minutes to end the challenge of the 18-year-old in steaming temperatures and humidity.
There were mixed fortunes for Australian players.
Mark Philippoussis, winner of last week's Newport tournament on grass, lost 6-4, 7-5 to Korea's Hyung-Taik Lee in the first round but Wayne Arthurs beat Israeli Harel Levy 6-3, 7-5.
Americans Paul Goldstein, Jeff Morrison and Vince Spadea all reached the third round.
Results:
Second round: 2-Andy Roddick (US) beat Ramon Delgado (Paraguay) 6-3, 6-2; 4-Robby Ginepri (US) beat Alejandro Falla (Colombia) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5; 14-Vince Spadea (US) beat Ricardo Mello (Brazil) 6-3, 6-1; Jeff Morrison (US) beat 13-Kevin Kim (US) 6-2, 6-2; 11-Paul Goldstein (US) beat Razvan Sabau (Romania) 6-2, 6-1; 3-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) beat Sam Querrey (US) 6-3, 6-4.
First round: Thiago Alves (Brazil) beat Bobby Reynolds (US) 6-4, 6-4; Wesley Whitehouse (South Africa) beat Justin Gimelstob (US) 6-3, 7-5; Wayne Arthurs (Australia) beat Harel Levy (Israel) 6-3, 7-5; Kenneth Carlsen (Denmark) beat Andrea Stoppini (Italy) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4; Hyung-Taik Lee (South Korea) beat Mark Philippoussis (Australia) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); Benjamin Becker (Germany) beat Ivan Navarro (Spain) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5; George Bastl (Switzerland) beat Nathan Healey (Australia) 6-3, 6-0; Lars Burgsmueller (Germany) beat Zack Fleishman (US) 6-2, 6-3.—Reuters
