WTA Australian Open: Serena Williams sprints past Tamara Zidansek

The 8th seed and the seven-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams is through to the third round for the 18th straight time, beating Tamara Zidansek 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 18 minutes. The 23-time Major champion grabbed her 351st victory at this level, hitting 25 winners and 28 unforced errors to keep the points on her racquet all the time. In the middle of the second set, Williams struggled a little bit to find her A-game, missing some routine shots and allowing Tamara to stay in touch before Serena sealed the deal with a strong finish. The Slovenian created four break chances and failed to convert any, battling against 14 opportunities offered to Serena and giving serve away four times to hit the exit door despite a solid effort in set number two where she could have opened a 4-2 gap.

Finding the range right from the start, Serena earned a break at 15 in the first game and fired a service winner in game two to confirm the break and cement the advantage. Williams fended off a break chance in the fourth game to stay ahead, delivering another break in the next game to find herself 4-1 in front. Serving for the set at 5-2, Serena held at 15 with a service winner, closing the first part of the match in 31 minutes and hoping for more of the same in the rest of the encounter. The Slovenian fended off seven break points in games three and five in set number two, creating a massive opportunity to move in front with three break chances up for grabs in game six. Staying focused, Serena repelled those and took charge after that, clinching a break at love that sent her 4-3 up and sealing the deal with a return winner in the ninth game to enter the last 32 and stay on the title course.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2ulEYow