Defending champion Kim Clijsters and world number one Caroline Wozniacki stormed into round two of the Australian Open Monday as the women’s favourites showed early form. Third seed Victoria Azarenka and China’s Li Na, the French Open champion and last year’s runner-up, also both passed their first tests on a day of searing heat at Melbourne Park. Clijsters saw off Portugese qualifier Maria Joao Koehler 7-5, 6-1, soon after Li won a tough first round match against Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-1.
And on a day when all the big guns came out firing, third seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka demolished Britain’s Heather Watson 6-1, 6-0, and 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone crushed Spaniard Laura Pous-Tio 6-1, 6-3. In the last match on centre court, Wozniacki withstood an early barrage from Rodionova before turning the screws and cruising to victory 6-2, 6-1. The top seeded Dane was at her counter-punching best, absorbing an early blitz of winners from Rodionova and preying on any mistakes to demoralise her opponent.
Wozniacki has been criticised for not having any ‘killer’ shots, but her superb court movement and ability to get balls back into play were more than enough to defeat Rodionova, who grew ragged as the match went on. Clijsters, who plans to retire this year, said recent injury problems were behind her as she returned to the scene of her 2011 triumph. Clijsters, who pulled out of this month’s Brisbane Int’l with a hip problem, was forced to work hard in the early stages by the unknown Koehler, who was playing her first ever main tour match outside Portugal.
