Contented Venus settles into her role as woman to beat

Published on Tuesday 23 June 2009 22:10

THE procession is under way. The juggernauts are converging towards a meeting point on Saturday week, and crushing every flimsier vehicle in their way.

Serena Williams set the whole thing rolling with a straight-sets victory in her first-round match on Monday, and yesterday it was the turn of Venus, the reigning champion, to get her own campaign on the road. Up against Stefanie Voegele, a Swiss 19- year-old who is world-ranked No 97 and was playing just her second game in the main draw at a Grand Slam, Venus was held up only briefly on her way to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Voegele began spiritedly, and held a break point in the opening game then held her own serve to 15. Then from 15-30 down in the third game the American took control, taking 14 points in a row on her way to a 5-1 lead. She suffered a slight lapse of concentration to lose her serve before wrapping up that first set, then did something similar in the second, breaking Voegele for a 2-1 lead before immediately dropping her own serve. From that point, however, the No 3 seed took control, and she went on to wrap up victory in 78 minutes.

"It was pretty straightforward," the five-time winner admitted. "I really enjoyed being out there. It's a special moment when you walk back as defending champion on that court, throw those balls up for that first point. It's a really great feeling."

The Wimbledon singles title has been in the Williams family every year bar two since the turn of the century, and the sisters are confident they will maintain their domination for some time to come. Venus turned 29 last Wednesday, Serena will be 28 in September: health permitting, they will be around for a few years yet.

They deserve immense credit for what they have achieved, of course, but their path has been smoothed by the failure of others to mount a lasting challenge. "Whatever happened to her?" is a common phrase in their conversation about other players, they revealed at the weekend.

Indeed, by now they have seen off two generations of would-be rivals. There are the likes of Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, who were serious challengers for a while before retiring (Clijsters is now on tour again, but it will surely be some time before she gets back into the top ten). Then there is the generation who came to prominence a decade ago, when the sisters themselves were breaking on to the scene, yet likewise proved unable to build on their promise.

Exactly a decade ago, for instance, in the year that Venus reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second year running, a trio of other teenage players also made it through to the last eight and looked like becoming some of the brightest talents on the tour.

Of the three, Mirjana Lucic and Alexandra Stevenson are all but forgotten now, their careers blighted by personal problems and injuries respectively. The third, Jelena Dokic, has if anything been prey to even more severe difficulties. The 26-year-old Australian was competing yesterday – out on Court 7 while Venus was on Centre – but, suitably enough given her history, faded after a decent beginning and lost 6-3, 5-7, 2-6 to Tatjana Malek of Germany. Elsewhere, Jelena Jankovic overcame blisters and a broken toenail to reach the second round. The Serbian edged past German Julia Goerges after requiring medical assistance on her troublesome foot at the end of the opening set.

Then she had to be at her very best to withstand a fightback from Goerges who raced into a 5-2 lead in the second set. But Jankovic, who has dropped from world No 1 to sixth in the rankings this year, played through the pain barrier to get back on level terms and eventually win the match 6-4, 7-6 (7-0).

"I had treatment for blisters and a broken toenail," said Jankovic, who explained the transition from clay to grass had been a problem for her this year. "It is the change of surfaces. It takes a huge toll on my feet.

"Sometimes it hurts during the match. I am just playing one match at a time and trying to enjoy my tennis.

"I need to compete and get myself going. I get a lot of confidence from this kind of round. Today was a tough round because my opponent played quite well and served well."

Jankovic, looking for her first grand slam singles title, is hoping to end that barren run with victory at SW19.

She said: "There are periods when you are down and up in life in general and especially for an athlete. We have our low and highs especially when it comes to motivation. I am happy to be here and to play my tennis on grass which I find is very difficult. Grass gives me a hard time. It is not like other surfaces. I try to do the best I can.

"Sometimes when you lose a match it is frustrating, but that is normal, nobody likes to lose.

"But I am happy, healthy and play good tennis. What more can I ask for? I am only 24, I still have a lot of time to prove myself."

Dinara Safina's quest to win her first Wimbledon title may yet be scuppered by a knee problem encountered during her first-round victory over Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain.

The tournament top seed looked in trouble with her knee in the second set, which she won 6-3. The Russian had already claimed the opening set 7-5, but moaned she was finding it difficult to put weight on her left knee in the latter stages of the second set. However, the Russian insisted there was no way the injury would force her to pull out.

"I have been having problems for two months with my left knee and at the end of the second set it was too painful," said Safina. "It was a pain to put all the weight on it and I was struggling but hopefully with treatment it will get better."