A Strong Start for Serena Williams in Istanbul

The American, playing for the first time since the U.S. Open, dispatches Angelique Kerber; Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska also advance.

By Chris Oddo

Serena Williams opens title run in Istanbul

(October 22, 2012) -- Serena Williams hadn't played a competitive match since the U.S. Open, but the 15-time Grand Slam champion shook off all notions that she might be rusty with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 victory over Angelique Kerber at the WTA Championships on Tuesday.

Williams has now won 27 of 28 matches, with the only loss during that torrid streak coming to Kerber in Cincinnati this August.

But today Kerber encountered a highly motivated and altogether different Serena than the one she was able to slip past this summer. In Cincinnati, Williams played like a woman badly in need of some rest; in Istanbul today, Williams played like she has designs on winning her third WTA Championships title.

"I wanted to start fast," Williams said afterwards. "It's important. I hadn't played since the Open. I was trying to feel the ball a little. I've been practicing really well, but hopefully I can play a little better."

Kerber would draw even at 3-3 in the first set, at a time when Williams seemed to be suffering some sort of hamstring injury. Williams grabbed the area several times and appeared to drop her level a bit, but by the end of the set, she had ramped up her game again.

"My ankle tape was just really tight," Williams explained afterwards. "It was fine, I'm just trying to loosen it up."

Williams took nine of the final eleven games to finish off Kerber, saving all three break points she faced in the final set despite a 41 percent first-serve percentage. Remarkably, the victory marks Williams' 15th consecutive win against top five opposition.

Williams will open day two in Istanbul with match against Li Na. Williams holds a 5-1 career edge against the Chinese No. 1.

Radwanska Outsteadies Kvitova in Breezy Straight-Setter

A lot of people are going to blame Petra Kvitova's 41 unforced errors for her first indoor hard court loss in her last 26 such matches, but to underestimate the role of the strengths of Agnieszka Radwanska's all-court game in Kvitova's downfall would be a mistake.

Radwanska overcame a career head-to-head record of 0-3 versus Kvitova today--including a straight-sets loss to Kvitova at last year's WTA Championships--with the type of effort that has characterized her success all season long. She was aggressive at times, conservative at others, but more importantly she had an intelligent read on Kvitova's shaky form from the start and was more than happy to keep the ball in play as long as Kvitova kept hitting it out of play.

During the 6-3, 6-2 victory, Radwanska made only five unforced errors, and connected on 71 percent of her first serves to keep Kvitova from zeroing in on her second serve.

"I think I was really playing good from the beginning of the match," said Radwanska. "It was up and down. The serve should be the big weapon and it wasn't. I was just trying to stay focused."

With the win, Radwanska notches her eighth top ten win of 2012. Kvitova drops to 0-5 against the top five with the loss in 2012; the Czech was 7-2 against the top five in 2011.

Sharapova Blasts Past Errani

Maria Sharapova's perspiration-drenched face in her post-match interview belied the ease with which she dispatched Sara Errani 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday.

"This is such a great feeling," Sharapova told Katrina Adams after the match, beads of sweat still trickling down her cheeks. "Not only to make it but to feel physically healthy. It's the last tournament of the year -- after you can enjoy your cocktails and the beach and have fun, but now it's all business." It's been all business all year for the World No. 2. Sharapova raised her record to 57-10 with the victory, her most wins since 2006, and will face Agnieszka Radwanska on Wednesday in Istanbul.

In a rematch of this year's French Open final, Sharapova started slowly, then broke Errani four times and controlled play with powerful baseline drives from both wings in the final set and a half.

"It was a slow start," she said. "The points went a little too long [in the first four games]. I tried to step in after that and be more aggressive.

Sharapova, a two-time finalist and 2004 champion at the WTA Championships, will look to avenge a loss to Radwanska in the Miami final on Wednesday. The Russian holds a 7-2 career edge against Radwanska.

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TEB BNP PARIBAS WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS - ISTANBUL 2012
Istanbul, Turkey
October 23-28, 2012
$4,900,000/Season-Ending Championships
Surface: Hard/Indoors

RESULTS -- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

Round Robin - Red Group
(3) Serena Williams (USA) d. (5) Angelique Kerber (GER) 64 61

Round Robin - White Group
(2) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (7) Sara Errani (ITA) 63 62
(4) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (6) Petra Kvitova (CZE) 63 62

ORDER OF PLAY -- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2012

Stadium (from 17.00hrs)
1. Serena Williams vs. Li Na
2. Victoria Azarenka vs. Angelique Kerber
3. Maria Sharapova vs. Agnieszka Radwanska

(Photo Credit: AP)