TENNIS – Serena and Venus Williams Sisters remain on course to meet each other in the Round of 16 as they both won their 2nd round matches in straight sets. They join Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka in the 3rd round. However, Ana Ivanovic was been dismissed in straight sets by Betthanie Mattek-Sands Cordell Hackshaw
USUAL SUSPECTS
Serena Williams (1) needed only 59 minutes to get past Timea Babos 6-4 6-1. Serena had 12 aces included her her 23 winners to 9 errors. However, it was hard to tell whether these were impressive numbers for Serena as she looked often to be uptight and far too tensed. Nonetheless, it was solid performance and will play Heather Watson in the 3rd round. Serena is on course to meet her big sister, Venus Williams (16) in the 4th round as Venus also got through her 2nd round match 7-6(5) 6-4 over Yulia Putintseva. It was a tough match but Venus played all the important points better relying on her big serve to get her out of trouble.
Maria Sharapova (4) had another easy day at the office. Richel Hogenkamp never looked to challenge the Russian at all. Sharapova broke for 4-2 in the opening set but soon allowed Hogenkamp back into the set with 3 consecutive double faults. However, Hogenkamp could not withstand the pressure on her own service game as Sharapova broke back and quickly closed out the set 6-3. In the 2nd set, it was all Sharapova as she got out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back; 6-3 6-1 in 65 minutes.
Victoria Azarenka (23) got by the tricky opponent Kirsten Flipkens. Flipkens fought hard but in the end, she could not withstand the massive groundstrokes from Azarenka who dictated play from the opening point. Azarenka always took the early lead but Flipkens always found a way to get back into the set. It was at this point that Azarenka would put her head down and just quickly assert herself into the match, taking it 6-3 6-3. Azarenka had 21 winners and 13 errors compared to 14 winners and 11 errors from Flipkens. Also through in straight sets is French Open finalist Lucie Safarova (6) who got through Su-Wei Hsieh 6-2 6-3.
UPSETS
Bethanie Mattek-Sands upset Ana Ivanovic (7) in straight sets 6-3 6-4. Mattek-Sands took this match from the very start. She broke Ivanovic for a 3-0 lead and maintained this advantage for the set. Ivanovic just never looked comfortable on the day as she broke back for 2-3 but got broken immediately thereafter to be down 2-4. Mattek-Sands was not about to relinquish lead as she took it 6-3. In the 2nd set, the sudden charge that one expected from Ivanovic to level the match never came as she made unforced error after unforced error. One of the more difficult task for the Serbian was to deal with the superior net game from the American. Mattek-Sands won 29/38 points up at net compared to 6/9 for Ivanovic. The American had twice the number of errors of her opponent, 32 to 15. Particularly more glaring for Ivanovic was the fact that she only broke Mattek-Sands once, 1/8 in break point conversion. Mattek-Sands will take on Bencic for a spot in the 2nd week of Wimbledon.
Karolina Pliskova (11) has been dismissed by American Coco Vandeweghe in straight sets. Pliskova just never looked comfortable throughout the match. Having had a wonderful 2015 with so many solid results at tournaments, the Czech player is having difficulties managing matches. Both big servers, it was no surprise that the opening set was decided in a tiebreaker. However, Vandeweghe had 4 chances to close out the set up 6-5. They were all on the Pliskova serve and the Czech hammered down some big serves to force the breaker. In the breaker, Pliskova got out to a 3-0 lead but again, she lost her way as the American surged ahead to take it 7-5 points. In the 2nd set, Pliskova again took the early lead 3-0 but could not maintain it. Vandeweghe won 5 straight games and then closed out the match 7-6 6-4 for the 3rd round.
SURPRISES
Local favourite, Heather Watson had a very easy time against veteran Daniela Hantuchova. One expected a stronger showing from the Slovakian but Hantuchova was unable to sustain any lead she achieved in the match. Up 3-1 in the opening set, Watson reeled off 4 straight games for 5-3 and then closed out the set 6-4. In the 2nd set, it was all Watson. She broken to open the set and though she was broken immediately, Watson again went on a 4-game streak for 5-1. Watson then served it out 6-4 6-2.
Sloane Stephens got through unscathed against fellow American Lauren Davis 6-4 6-4 in 68 minutes. It was a nervy match for both players but it was Stephens who was able to steady the ship when things got to rocky. She moves into the 3rd round to Safarova for a place in the 4th Round. Belinda Bencic (30) had a tough fight on her hands v. Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany. Friedsam who recently caused Serena Williams some trouble at the French Open, showed once again that she is no pushover. However as in the French Open, she cannot sustain the high level of play. After splitting the first two sets, she ran out of steam in the 3rd as Bencic took it 7-5 4-6 6-0. Bencic will take on Mattek-Sands for a place in the 2nd week of Wimbledon.
Kristina Mladenovic finds herself in the 3rd round of Wimbledon after getting by Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets 6-4 7-5. Ostapenko took out 9th seed, Carla Suarez-Navarro in quick fashion in the opening round but Mladenovic provided a much bigger challenge that the Spaniard.
OTHER WINNERS
Sam Stosur (22) got through the unpredictable opponent Urszula Radwanska 6-3 6-4. She will play Vandeweghe in the 3rd round. Zarina Diyas got by Aliaksandra Sasonovich 7-5 6-1. Sasonovich was in the ascendency in the opening set but could not maintain the lead as Diyas wrest control of the match for the win and a place in the 3rd round. Irina Begu (29) is also through to the 3rd round when she defeated Lesia Tsurenko. Both Madison Keys (21) and Elizaveta Kulichkova both completed their 1st round matches were were suspended late on Day 2 because of poor lighting.
