BEIJING: US Open Champions Serena Williams and Marin Cilic powered through their openers at the $5.4m China Open yesterday, with the women’s number one crushing her opponent after being 5-0 down.
Spaniard Silvia Soler-Espinosa looked to be cruising to a memorable victory against the power-hitting American in Beijing as she raced to a five-game advantage within twenty minutes.
But Williams’ response was ruthless, taking seven consecutive games to clinch the set with an incredible show of force.
A startled Soler-Espinosa took two games in the following set, but the number one seed in Beijing closed in on victory within
73 minutes with a 7-5, 6-2 scoreline.
It was a devastating comeback and a clear statement of intent from Williams, who fell at the first hurdle at the Wuhan Open last week after retiring from her game with a viral illness.
The reigning champion in Beijing won her sixth US Open earlier this month, the 18th Grand Slam title of her career.
In the men’s competition, fourth seed Cilic did not drop a serve in his defeat of Chinese wildcard Yan Bai at the Olympic Park in the Chinese capital.
The Croatian, playing his first game since his convincing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, victory over Japan’s Kei Nishikori in New York, took 81 minutes to dispose of his opponent 6-3, 6-4. AFP
