THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2009
SPORTS
23
TENNIS
Athletes struggle with slick grass at Wimbledon
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Venus Williams of U.S. plays a return to Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland during their first round singles match at Wimbledon, June23.
BY STEVEN WINE Associated Press
WIMBLEDON, England — Five points into her opening match at Wimbledon, Venus Williams slipped and went sprawling on the grass she loves.
The five-time champion recovered from her stumble at the start Tuesday and defeated Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-2.
"I really enjoyed being out there," Venus said. "It's a special moment when you walk back as defending champion on that court."
Williams' tumble was one of several wobbly moments as she began her bid for a three-peat. She doublefaulted in the opening game and had to erase two break points. She slipped and nearly fell a second time.
"It's grass," she said. "You're going to slip sometimes."
Other players also took a tumble — Andy Roddick went down once during his victory, and even a ball
boy fell on his face — and the biggest stumble was by Marat Safin. The two-time Grand Slam champion lost to qualifier Jesse Levine of Boca Raton, Fla., 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
American Melanie Oudin also pulled off a surprise in her tournament debut. The 17-year-old earned her first win in a major event by beating No. 29-seeded Sybille Bammer 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Roddick followed Williams onto Centre Court and beat big-swinging Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3. Roddick, seeded sixth, had only nine unforced errors and hit 46 winners, including 20 aces.
He improved to 20-3 in tiebreakers this year.
No. 13-seeded Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion, saved two match points to beat Lucie Hradecka 5-7, 6-2, 8-6. This year's winner at Roland Garros, Svetlana Kuznetsova, defeated Akiko Morigami 6-3, 7-6 (1).
Top-ranked Dinara Safina opened
another bid for her first Grand Slam title by beating Lourdes Dominguez Lino 7-5, 6-3.
Kimiko Date Krumm, a 38-year-old wild card who came out of retirement last year, lost in her first Wimbledon match since 1996 to No. 9-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. No. 17-seeded Amelie Mauresmo, the 2006 champion, defeated Melinda Czink 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
On the men's side, No. 3 Andy Murray began his bid to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936 by beating American Robert Kendrick 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4. Americans Robby Ginepri, Kevin Kim, Bobby Reynolds and Wayne Odesnik also lost.
Ginepri won the first three games, then lost 18 of the next 21 to fall to 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt 6-4, 6-1, 6-1. G
British wild card Alex Bogdanovic's record at Wimbledon fell to 0-8 when he lost to No. 20 Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Your door to comfortable living is here
- 1900 sq.ft.at Lake Pointe Villas (Candy Lane)
- 3 & 4 Bdrm Homes,
3.5 Bath
- Close to Clinton Lake, K-10, & turnpike
- Pets Welcome
- $1200.00
Garber Property Management
785. 841.4785 GARBERPROPERTY.COM