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Serena advances at JPMorgan Chase Open
Serena Williams defeated Eleni Danilidou 6-1, 7-6 (3) Wednesday at the JPMorgan Chase Open in her first match since losing the Wimbledon final.
In an effort to raise their rankings, Williams and older sister Venus are straying from their habit of not playing in the same non-Grand Slam tournament. They also are entered at next week's WTA tournament stop in Carlsbad.
Serena came into the Carson tournament - only her seventh of the year - ranked No. 16, her lowest spot since March 1999. She was No. 1 as recently as last August, when she had knee surgery.
Venus is No. 13 after moving up two spots since reaching last week's final at Stanford, where she lost in three sets to Lindsay Davenport. Venus lost in the second round at Wimbledon.
Davenport, seeded third here, played a night match against Anne Kremer at the Home Depot Center.
Other second-round winners Wednesday were: No. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-3, 6-3 over Maria Vento-Kabchi; No. 6 Ai Sugiyama, 6-2, 6-4 over Nicole Pratt; No. 15 Amy Frazier, 6-4, 6-4 over Barbara Schett; and Jelena Kostanic, who surprised No. 9 Patty Schnyder, 6-1, 7-6 (5);
Williams has never lost to Danilidou in four career meetings, including a semifinal victory in March at Miami, where she won her only title this year.
This time, she needed slightly more an hour in searing afternoon heat to advance to the third round. Williams wore a lime green one-piece dress and matching headscarf.
"I struggled a little bit too much, it was just really hot out there," a noticeably subdued Williams said. "She definitely picked up her level and I kind of lost a little focus. I was winning easy and I was up a break in the second and I kind of got a little too excited."
Williams missed last year's Chase Open because of her impending knee surgery.
"I had a lot of people out there screaming `Serena,' and I hadn't heard that lately," she said.
Williams grew up in nearby Compton, also the site of her half-sister Yetunde Price's shooting death last September.
"It's important not to forget your early years and where you come from because then you can stay humble," Williams said. "Sometimes when you get in a higher position, you relax, you get so comfortable that you stay in the same position."
But her lasting memories are of trips to Manhattan Beach, where the tournament was held for several years before moving inland two years ago. The sisters used to watch Monica Seles and Gabriella Sabatini play there.
"Here it's like it's brand new," Williams said. "Hopefully I'm providing other young kids with memories."
Friday's giveaway at the tournament will be a Serena Williams bobblehead doll. The player who designs her own tennis outfits and an off-court clothing line didn't have a hand in creating her likeness.
The smiling doll sports pink shorts, a midriff-baring matching top, a white headband and a heart necklace. The doll's hair is in a ponytail and she stands on a green tennis court.
"This is a great bobblehead," Williams said, briefly perking up. "I think they did a really good job down to the necklace." |
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