Wimbledon 2011: Wins for Wozniacki, Sharapova and Li
- Published
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki and 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova conceded only three games each in their opening-round victories at Wimbledon.
Dane Wozniacki brushed aside the blustery conditions to beat Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-2 6-1.
And Russian fifth seed Sharapova beat compatriot Anna Chakvetadze by the same scoreline.
French Open champion Li Na and fourth seed Victoria Azarenka also progressed but Jelena Jankovic is out.
The 15th seed Jankovic from Serbia was beaten 5-7 6-4 6-3 by Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, her first round-one exit in a Grand Slam since the French Open in 2005.
World number one Wozniacki has yet to win a Grand Slam and her first match at Wimbledon this year was not what she was expecting.
The 20-year-old found the breezy Court One conditions tough to contend with but still managed victory in 59 minutes, and will next face Virginie Razzano.
"There was one point where I hit the ball and it almost didn't come over and then I hit the next one and it just flew," she said.
"I tried to adapt as good as I could and hopefully I'll be ready for the next match as well."
Frenchwoman Razzano won her first match since the death of her fiance, when she defeated India's Sania Mirza 7-6 2-6 6-3.
"I don't know if it's relief for me, because when I go on the courts it's not easy for me," said Razzano, whose partner Stephane Vidal passed away last month following a protracted brain tumour illness.
"I play because it's my job and my passion and I must to continue."
Sharapova was back to her brilliant best on Centre Court, where she won her maiden Grand Slam title seven years ago, brushing aside Chakvetadze to set up a second-round match against British teenager Laura Robson or German Angelique Kerber.
China's Li also made light work of her Russian opponent Alla Kudryavtseva with a 6-3 6-3 victory and will play either Germany's Sabine Lisicki or Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova.
Belorussian Azarenka progressed when Slovakian opponent Magdalena Rybarikova retired in the second set, while eighth seed Petra Kvitova was in excellent form after a swift 6-2 6-2 win against American Alexa Glatch.
The Czech player will play Britain's Anne Keothavong in the next round.
Other seeds to progress were 2007 finalist Marion Bartoli (9), Andrea Petkovic (11), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (14), Ana Ivanovic (18), Shuai Peng (20), Daniela Hantuchova (25), Maria Kirilenko (26) and Lucie Safarova (31).
- Published21 June 2011