Venus sends Kat out

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:36

Williams emerged onto Court One with bandaging around her left knee, but showed no ill effects as she cruised to a 6-3 6-2 victory in bright sunshine.

It was the 29-year-old’s 16th successive singles victory at the All England Club and she said: “That’s a great stat for me, a great achievement and I want to make it more. Everything was working for me.”

Williams was made to work hard at times by Bondarenko, but on the only occasion the world number 73 threatened her opponent’s serve, the third seed responded with three aces in one game at 115, 114 and 114mph.

In contrast, Bondarenko’s last two second serves of the opening set were clocked at just 68 and 69mph and Williams took advantage to claim a second break of serve.

Bondarenko’s sister Alona had suffered the unique indignity of losing to a British player in the first round, and there was little chance of Kateryna upholding family honour on Thursday.

Williams was holding serve with ease and although Bondarenko was a game opponent, she lacked either enough power or guile to truly pose the five-time champion any problems.

The 22-year-old saved a break point in the fourth game of the second set and another in the sixth, but eventually succumbed to the pressure, firing a wild forehand well beyond the baseline to give Williams the break.

And another break of serve in the eighth game simply confirmed Williams’ superiority as she advanced to the third round, where she will face Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

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