Serena Williams quick out of blocks in quest for record

MIAMI - Agence France-Presse

Serena Williams in action against Flavia Pennetta of Italy during their second round match at the Sony Open. AFP Photo

Serena Williams got her quest for a record sixth WTA title on the hardcourts of Miami off to a brisk start on March 21 with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Italian Flavia Pennetta.

The world No. 1 and top seed, playing her first tournament since falling to Victoria Azarenka in the final at Doha in February, said she didn’t feel too rusty, although her footwork could improve.

“I think I missed a few shots, but only because I think I was off footwork-wise.

“But it’s always just good just to win a match and stay in the tournament and keep going.” Despite the lopsided scoreline, Williams said Pennetta’s ability to extend the rallies made the match difficult, although the American fended off all seven break points she faced.

She had 18 break chances against Pennetta, and converted five, saying she felt a little frustrated that she wasn’t doing more.

“I felt like I should be putting the balls away for my opponent quick, but she was so quick and she was running every ball down,” Williams said.

Fourth-seeded defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, fifth-seeded Li Na of China and seventh-seeded Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic all joined Williams in the third-round.

Radwanska parlayed an early break in each set to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei.

“I was happy to have a quick match,” she said. “The first match is always a little bit tough and tricky, especially after Indian Wells, where we had a little bit of different conditions.” Li, playing her first tournament since suffering an ankle injury in her loss to Azarenka in the Australian Open final, downed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-1.

Former Wimbledon champion Kvitova defeated China’s Peng Shuai 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. Williams next faces Japan’s Ayumi Morita, a 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-3 winner over Belgian Yanina Wickmayer.

Her five titles in Miami tie her with Steffi Graf, and while she thinks it would be “really cool” to take sole possession of the record, she said she must focus on the matches as they come.

“I have a lot of matches to play,” Williams said. “If I can just stay relaxed --I really feel like I can do it, but, you know, I’m sometimes my own worst enemy.

“I just want to get through every match one at a time.” Williams is also vying to maintain her spot atop the rankings. A failure to reach the quarter-finals could open the door for either Azarenka or Maria Sharapova to overtake her.

“It always feels better when you’re No. 1,” Williams said. “There’s nothing like when they announce you and they say, The No. 1 player in the world.

“It definitely gives you a little bit more confidence ... a little more pep in your step.”