Serena Williams moved into the third round of the Olympics with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Urszula Radwanska just weeks after beating the Pole’s older sister Agnieszka in the Wimbledon final.
Serena, 30, defeated Agnieszka in three sets to win her fifth Wimbledon title earlier this month and the American fourth seed had no intention of seeing her bid for singles gold derailed by a family vendetta on Wimbledon’s Court One here on Monday.
Williams, a two-time doubles gold medal winner with sister Venus, quickly established control against the 21-year-old as she broke in the second game and added another break to seal the first set.
Radwanska, ranked 44th, had no answer to the 14-time Grand Slam winner’s ferocious groundstrokes and booming serves in the second set either.
Serena finished with eight aces and 26 winners in her one hour and 13 minute victory and she will play Russia’s Vera Zvonareva in the last 16 in a repeat of the 2010 Wimbledon final. The American won easily on that occasion, but she insists Zvonareva could pose a serious threat to her gold medal hopes. “It’s a Wimbledon final rematch so it’s a tough match for me,” Serena said. “She’s playing so well, moving well, doing everything great.
“It’s not an easy tournament. Playing someone tough so soon, it’s going to be a good challenge for me.”
