Makarova test takes a lot out of Williams

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  • Struggles: Serena laboured in the first set but stamped her class in the second.

    World No1 Serena Williams admitted she was rusty but was thrilled to survive a difficult first set to beat Russia’s 24th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova and secure a spot in the third round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

    In her first match back since her Australian Open fourth round loss four weeks ago, Williams was broken in her opening service game and was trailing the powerful lefty for most of the first set.

    Returning from a back injury, Williams was clearly frustrated with herself but managed to break Makarova, who was serving for the opening set 5-4, to force a tiebreak.

    The breaker was also a tough battle but the top seed eventually triumphed, saving two set points before edging ahead on her third opportunity, as the crowd sighed with relief.

    Williams then cruised to a 5-0 lead in the second set but struggled in a marathon sixth game, saving three break points before sealing the match.

    “Today was really difficult for me. I felt so rusty out there and a little frustrated. I have been practicing. I was like ‘gosh, this isn’t what I practiced’. But I was just really excited to get through that,” said Williams. 

    Williams also revealed that her her back was feeling fine and she’s ready for her doubles match today alongside her sister Venus.

    In a bizarre coincidence, Serena and Venus will face the players they respectively beat in singles in their opening doubles match this afternoon, with Makarova partnering Elena Vesnina.

    “They are actually great doubles players, so we have a tough battle in front of us, but we are playing, having fun, we have nothing to lose,” said Serena.

    Serena, who has never won the title in Dubai, will play the winner of the second round clash between Jelena Jankovic and Lucie Safarova in her next singles match.

    Earlier on Centre Court, Ana Ivanovic almost let a 5-1 lead in the final set tiebreak slip through her fingers before she recovered to beat world No8 Angelique Kerber 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) and move into the second round.

    In a high quality clash between two top-12 players, it was Ivanovic who broke first, taking advantage of a slow start from Kerber, but the German recovered and managed to open up a 4-2 lead.

    Kerber broke Ivanovic to love to take the first set but the former world No1 stormed back in the second, breaking in the very first game thanks to some thunderous forehand winners.

    The No6 seed kept pressuring Ivanovic and she finally broke back in the sixth game, drawing the error from the Serb after a long rally. But this time, Ivanovic broke back immediately, and the former French Open champion got her first set point with a brilliant cross court forehand winner and she took it to level the match when Kerber sent a forehand long.

    The German broke early in the decider but Ivanovic drew level. Ivanovic squandered three match points on Kerber’s serve at 6-5 and she had to save a match point herself in the breaker but the Serb clinched the match on her fourth opportunity, taking the tiebreak, the set and the match in two hours.

    “She’s such a tough competitor, and she retrieves lots of balls. You just have to win points over and over again,” said Ivanovic of Kerber.

    In the third round today, Ivanovic takes on Venus, whom she beat last month in the Auckland final.

    “It’s going to be tough match,” said Ivanovic. “She’s playing a lot better again. It’s going to be good match.”

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