Fancied trio coast through openers

Tennis: World number one Amelie Mauresmo and defending champion Venus Williams coasted through their first-round matches this…

Tennis:World number one Amelie Mauresmo and defending champion Venus Williams coasted through their first-round matches this afternoon, dropping just one game between them.

Mauresmo showed no fear on Wimbledon's "graveyard of champions" as she powered into the second round with a 6-0 6-0 demolition of qualifier Ivana Abramovic in just 39 minutes on Court Two.

Williams was nearly as ruthless, despatching compatriot Bethanie Mattek with the loss of just one game.

Fourth seed and former champion Maria Sharapova was almost as convincing, dropping just two games against Israeli Anna Smashnova on her way to a 6-2 6-0 win.

READ MORE

Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters has reached the third round without hitting a ball after Ukraine's Viktoriya Kutuzova pulled out of their second round match with a viral infection.

Clijsters will play either China's Zheng Jie or Czech Eva Birnerova in the third round.

Top seed Mauresmo has already claimed the Australian Open crown this year, and on this afternoon's form, the 26-year-old will take some stopping at the All England Club.

Mauresmo, a semi-finalist here in each of the past three years, signalled her intent from the first game, holding serve to love.

Abramovic, the Croatian ranked 192 in the world, was being given a tough baptism on her Wimbledon debut, and was immediately broken as the top seed too every opportunity to come to the net.

A double fault in game four gave Mauresmo another break, and she soon closed out the set 6-0.

It was more of the same at the start of the second set. Mauresmo took her opening service game to love, before swiftly breaking the young Croat again at the next opportunity.

It was soon 4-0 to the world number one when Abramovic double-faulted to hand Mauresmo another break-point chance, which she claimed when a return went into the net.

The powerful display of serve-and-volley tennis continued as the top seed completed the her victory on a first match point when Abramovic, 22, put a forehand into the net from the baseline.

Williams, the sixth seed, who is seeking her fourth singles crown at the grasscourt grand slam, rattled off 11 consecutive games on her way to an easy 51-minute win on Centre Court.

Debutant Mattek admits a liking for doughnuts and the Miami-based 21-year-old only narrowly avoided the so-called 'double bagel'.

Mattek levelled for 1-1 in the first set but after that Williams's heavy serve and punishing groundstrokes  overwhelmed her in a match that had been delayed because of Monday's rain.

Williams, who is the only US seed in the women's singles, plays either American Lisa Raymond or Russian qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova in round two.

Mauresmo will face a stiffer task in the second round against either in-form Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek, who won the Den Bosch title last Saturday, or Australia's Samantha Stosur.