Serena Williams Cruises Into Third Round

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The New York Sun

A day after Andy Roddick all but sunk the chances of U.S. men at this year’s native Grand Slam, Serena Williams raised hopes that she might stick around Flushing for a while, even if she has to beat her sister to do it.


Playing her first evening match of the tournament, Williams scored a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Catalina Castano of Colombia, belting a backhand winner on match point.


It was hardly a perfect performance or a worthy opponent, but the signs of a Williams revival are at least apparent for the first time in six months. Her serve, strong in her first-round match, proved even better last night. Her groundstrokes were far more penetrating and she won 16 of 17 points at the net. At times, she resembled the Williams of old, parking herself in the center of the court and sending her opponent on futile sprints back and forth.


One more victory and Serena might meet her sister Venus this weekend. Venus scored a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Maria Kirilenko on a blustery, humid day that wreaked havoc on lobs, service tosses, and debris.


“It was deathly windy,” Venus said. Deathly windy? “Deathly windy,” she confirmed.


Other top women battled the breeze to varying degrees. Kim Clijsters, coming off a superb summer, won 11 of the first 12 points against Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia, racing out to a 4-1 lead. But she momentarily faltered, falling behind 5-4 and saving a set point before she regained control and won 7-5, 6-0. Top-seeded Maria Sharapova scorched Dally Randriantefy of Madagascar, 6-1, 6-0.


In one of the most competitive matches of the day, 18-year-old Sania Mirza of India continued her march toward a possible fourth-round meeting with Sharapova, winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 over Italy’s Maria Elena Camerin.


The New York Sun

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