Five-time champion Venus Williams and 40-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm reached the Wimbledon second round on Monday, striking an early blow for the tournament's senior citizens at the 125th Championships.
Williams, 31, was untroubled in disposing of Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3, 6-1, showing no signs of the hip injury which kept her off the tour for five months until her Eastbourne return last week.
The American, whose choice of a loose-fitting, zipped-up, baggy outfit caused as much conversation as her free-flowing tennis on Court Two, fired 23 winners past the Uzbek.
“Coming into any Major there is a bit of tension and because I haven't played a lot, I think that adds a little pressure on me,” Venus said.
“But it's always great to be back. I think playing a few matches at Eastbourne helped me feel comfortable here. I was happy to be playing at all after missing so much of the year. That was a big plus for me today.”
Second-oldest winner
Williams now takes on Date-Krumm, who became the second oldest winner of a singles match at Wimbledon with her 6-0, 7-5 demolition of British wild card Katie O'Brien.
Date-Krumm, a semifinalist at the All England Club in 1996 and who made her debut in 1989, had the honour of playing the first match on the new Court Three, which has replaced the old Court Two, the former ‘Graveyard of the Champions'.
“I remember 1996 on the Centre Court. I played against Steffi Graf and it was in darkness,” recalled the Japanese, of the year she last won a Wimbledon match.
“We played over two days. It was a big memory for me. Then after 15 years, I win in the first round and it's already a miracle.”
Last year's beaten finalist Vera Zvonareva made a winning return as the Russian second seed defeated America's Alison Riske 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.
Zvonareva's last match at the All England Club 12 months ago ended painfully as she lost in straight sets against Serena Williams in her first Grand Slam final appearance.
The 26-year-old, who was also beaten by Kim Clijsters in the US Open final, was pushed hard by World No.118 Riske, but eventually prevailed to set up a second round match against compatriot Elena Vesnina.
See-saw match
“She played some good tennis, but I tried to stay focused. I had some ups and downs, but I'm really happy I was able to pull it off in the end,” Zvonareva said.
“I lost my concentration for a bit, but I always fight for every point and I was able to pick it up in the third set.”
Israel's Shahar Peer was the only seed to lose in early action.
The No.22 went down 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Ksenia Pervak of Russia.
Rafael Nadal's campaign to capture a third Wimbledon title and his 11th Grand Slam crown enjoyed a comfortable start with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over American journeyman Michael Russell.
Nadal, fresh from a record-equalling sixth Roland Garros title, was only troubled briefly by his 33-year-old opponent who broke the World No.1 to lead 4-2 in the first set.
But Russell, who has never got beyond the second round, was made to pay for his brief rebellion against the established order as Nadal then reeled off six games in succession to take the opener and lead 2-0 in the second set.
Nadal was quickly 4-1 ahead in the third set and there was no way back for the World No. 91 as the top seed, unleashed 35 winners.
THE RESULTS
Prefix denotes seeding
First round: Men : 6-Tomas Berdych (Cze) bt Filippo Volandri (Ita) 6-2, 6-2, 6-1; 9-Gael Monfils (Fra) bt Matthias Bachinger (Ger) 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-3; Ryan Sweeting (USA) bt Pablo Andujar (Esp) 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-1; Julien Benneteau (Fra) bt Ruben Bemelmans (Bel) 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1; Dudi Sela (Isr) bt Frederico Gil (Por) 6-4, 6-1, 6-4; Igor Kunitsyn (Rus) bt Igor Sijsling (Ned) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Simon Bolelli (Ita) bt Martin Fischer (Aut) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4; 17-Richard Gasquet (Fra) bt Santiago Giraldo (Col) 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(3).
1-Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Michael Russell (USA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2; Gilles Muller (Lux) bt Tommy Haas (Ger) 7-6(5), 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-3; 31-Milos Raonic (Can) bt Marc Gicquel (Fra) 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-3; Feliciano Lopez (Esp) bt Michael Berrer (Ger) 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. 10-Mardy Fish (USA) bt Marcel Granollers (Esp) 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-4; Denis Istomin (Uzb) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (Ger) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Alex Bogomolov Jr. (USA) bt Donald Young (USA) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1; 14-Stanislas Wawrinka (Swi) bt Potito Starace (Ita) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Grega Zemlja (Slo) bt Lukas Lacko (Svk) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4; Rainer Schuettler (Ger) bt 30-Thomaz Belluci (Bra) 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-2.
Women : 2-Vera Zvonareva (Rus) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-0, 3-6, 6-3; Monica Niculescu (Rou) bt Sybille Bammer (Aut) 6-1, 6-1; 12-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt Shuai Zhang (Chn) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Christina McHale (USA) bt 28-Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) 2-6, 6-1, 8-6; Sara Errani (Ita) bt 17-Kaia Kanepi (Est) 6-1, 6-4; Alexandra Dulgheru (Rou) bt Jill Craybas (USA) 6-2, 6-4.
Pauline Parmentier (Fra) bt Sorana Cirstea (Rom) 6-1, 6-3; Kimiko Date-Krumm (Jpn) bt Katie O'Brien (Gbr) 6-0, 7-5; 23-Venus Williams (USA) bt Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzb) 6-3, 6-1; Elena Vesnina (Rus) bt Laura Pous (Esp) 6-4, 6-3; 19-Yanina Wickmayer (Bel) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 7-5, 6-3; Anna Tatishvili (Geo) bt Anastasia Pivovarova (Rus) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Ksenia Pervak (Rus) bt 22-Shahar Peer (Isr) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
