Tennis: Serena wins WTA clay opener
Serena Williams beat Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3 at the WTA Family Circle Cup.
CHARLESTON (AFP) - World No. 1 Serena Williams served nine aces Tuesday during her first match this season on clay, beating Italy s Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3 at the $795,000 WTA Family Circle Cup.
Williams did not commit a double fault but took full advantage of 12 by her 85th-ranked rival to win after 82 minutes in her first match since capturing the WTA Miami crown last Saturday by beating Maria Sharapova in the final.
"It wasn t great for me -- I played well, but I wasn t great, footing-wise," Williams said of the switch from the hard courts of Miami to the clay courts of Charleston.
"I was just trying to get my stability. I only had one or two days of practice. But I felt good. I m glad I came here and hope I can get ready for what can hopefully be another good clay court season."
Next in the path of Williams, who was among eight top seeds to receive a first-round bye, is a third-round match against either Germany s 15th-seeded Sabine Lisicki or US qualifier Mallory Burdette.
Others reaching the third round included Swiss Stefanie Voegele, who ousted Spanish seventh seed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-4, and Romanian 11th seed Sorana Cirstea, who defeated Spain s Anabel Medina Garrigues in a walkover.
US wildcard Bethanie Mattek-Sands rebounded from a marathon first-round victory on Monday to topple fourth-seeded compatriot Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-0 and reach the third round.
Among first-round winners were Britain s Laura Robson, who dismissed Spain s Estrella Cabeza Candela 6-2, 6-2, and New Zealand s Marina Erakovic, who eliminated Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
