By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, March 28, 2015
Reigning champion Serena Williams swept Monica Niculescu for the second week in a row to power to her 13th consecutive Miami Open
Photo credit: @BNPParibasOpen
Seven-time Miami Open champion Serena Williams didn't say much in the early stages of her return to Crandon Park.
But her pink Nike high tops were squeaking like they had a story to share.
MORE: Wozniacki Wins; Bouchard Bounced
The world No. 1 stared down mischievous Romanian spin doctor Monica Niculescu — and her own early frustration — for the second straight tournament.
One she got rolling, Williams was a streak of hot pink across the sunny purple court — and Niculescu simply couldn't stay in step.
The top seed reeled off nine of the last 10 games powering past Niculescu, 6-3, 6-1, to score her 13th consecutive Miami Open victory.
Given she's been battling a knee injury, the sight of Serena running down nearly everything in sight and the sound of her saying in her post-match press conference—"I'm really fast when I want to be. I can get to any ball I want to"—was positive news for the woman, who has treated Crandon Park like her own backyard court.
The win propels Williams into a third-round clash with 15-year-old American wildcard CiCi Bellis, who upset No. 29 seed Zarina Diyas, 6-2, 6-1. Williams and Bellis will square off for the first time.
"It's going to be really fun," said Bellis, who is the youngest player in the field. "I have nothing to lose, so I'm just going to play my game and see what happens."
Williams, who withdrew from last week's Indian Wells semifinal against No. 3 Simona Halep with a knee injury and expressed concern over the state of her creaky knee in her pre-tournament presser, looked fit and covered the court with her usual fervor.
This match was originally scheduled for Friday night, but was washed out by a rain storm. The 70th-ranked Romanian tested an emotional Williams in her return to Indian Wells two weeks ago. The slow slices from herforehand and jarring blasts from her two-handed backhand created timing issues for Williams, who took the court in tears and had to grapple for control of points and her emotion, eventually mastering both for a 7-5, 7-5 victory.
In today's rematch on the quicker Crandon Park court, Williams knew exactly what to expect and came out trying to attack the Romanian's unorthodox forehand slice, hammer her forehand up the line and step inside the baseline.
A notorious perfectionist, Williams spent the first six games trying to find her range and keep her temper in check against a series of maddening slices.
"It was definitely easier today," Williams said of Niculescu. " I knew what to expect. I still got a little frustrated, but overall was able to stay calm more than the last time I played her."
The power of her passion popped off the court when the two produced one of the most astounding points of the tournament in the fourth game.
A scrambling Serena raced back behind the baseline and wrist an incredible forehand get back near the sideline. The fact the ball stayed in seemed to surprise Williams, who never stopped moving her feet. That shot extended the point then Williams dashed to her left and drilled a backhand winner down the line winning one of the most electric points of the tournament to break at love for 3-1. Afterward, Williams admitted she was surprised she even got the lob back.
"I was surprised I was able to get it," Williams said. "I was like 'Let me run for it.' I'm really fast when I want to be. I can get any ball I want to. My coach is always like 'If you want it, you can do it.' I just have to want every ball. I guess I wanted to get to that."
Williams won eight consecutive points to take charge only to fall into a triple break point hole the next game. She double faulted to drop serve at 15 for 3-2.
A fit player who reads the court well, Niculescu plays funky spins with a feisty disposition. She threw a fist pump and a firm "come on!" holding at 15 for 3-3.
Then Williams turned it up and took her tennis to a place Niculescu could not go, rolling through nine of the next 10 games.
Grunts growing louder, Williams spiked a smash, eventually working through a deuce hold with a scream and clenched fist for 4-3. She broke at 15 for 5-3.
A stubborn Niculescu fought off three set points in the next game and earned a break point. Williams erased it with an ace out wide before closing the set on a Niculescu error.
Breaking at 15 for a 1-0 second-set lead, Williams continued pressing forward in the second set. She flipped a backhand swing volley winner to hold for 2-0.
The reigning U.S. Open champion finished with seven aces, wrapping up an impressive effort in 81 minutes.
Facing the knee scare in the desert last week, Williams looked and sounded pain-free today, which can be a scary proposition for the rest of the pack.
"I really didn't feel [pain], to be honest," Williams said. "Once you step out on teh court you have so much adrenaline going. The adrenline kind of kills it. So I was surprised. I felt pretty good."