By Chris Oddo / Tuesday, October 22, 2013

<!-- Center Floated Image --> <div style="position:relative;top:-70px;height:500px;"> <div style="position:relative;top:444px; left:2px;margin: 0px 15px 15px; width: 610px; height: 79px; background:#000000;opacity:0.75;"> &nbsp;</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="" src="http://www.tennisnow.com/Files/serena-ap-istanbul.aspx" style="margin: 0px 15px 15px; width: 610px; height: 429px;" /></div> <div style="width:600px;height:10px;"> <p style="position:relative;top:-85px;left:32px;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;color:#FFFFFF;"> It was business as usual on Day 1 of the WTA Championships for Serena Williams. Can the three-time champion do it again on Day 2?<br /> <br /> Photo Source: AP</p> </div> </div> <!-- Right Floated Image -->

<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Li Na</strong> and <strong>Jelena Jankovic</strong> will make their first appearances at the 2013 WTA Championships on Tuesday, while <strong>Serena Williams</strong> and <strong>Victoria Azarenka</strong> will look to remain undefeated.<br /> <br /> <strong><a href="http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Wawrinka-Stunned-in-Basel,-London-Hopes-Take-a-Maj.aspx">Stan Stunned: Wawrinka out of Basel and London Still in doubt</a></strong><br /> <br /> <em><strong>Here&#39;s a preview of what&#39;s on tap:</strong></em><br /> <br /> <strong>Li Na vs. Sara Errani</strong><br /> <br /> Li, one of two players aged 30 or over at this year&#39;s WTA Championships, will take on the Italian representative in their fifth career meeting. Errani, who dropped a 7-6(4), 6-2 decision to <strong>Victoria Azarenka </strong>on Tuesday, faces a huge challenge in Li. The Italian has dropped all five meetings against the World No. 5, and she has not won a set against Li since their first career meeting in 2008.<br /> <br /> Since then it&#39;s been all Li, on both clay and on hard courts (2 victories on each surface).<br /> <br /> Errani, who had chances to take the first set against Azarenka on Tuesday, ended up suffering from cramps in her right calf and <a href="https://twitter.com/SI_BTBaseline/status/392715058255785984">complaining that the new balls allowed Azarenka to hit out and keep her on the defensive</a>. She&#39;s hoping to feel better tomorrow, but the possibility lingers that she could be a late scratch.<br /> <br /> With so much going in favor of Li, this match is a must-win for her. She&#39;s never qualified for the semifinals at the Championships, but an early win over an ailing Errani would point her in the right direction.<br /> <br /> <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Pick: Li in Two</span><br /> <br /> Victoria Azarenka vs. Jelena Jankovic</strong><br /> <br /> First off: Great job by <strong>Jelena Jankovic</strong> to return to form in 2013 and reach her 5th WTA Championships. She&#39;s a two-time semifinalist at the event but she has dropped her last four tilts against Azarenka, and hasn&#39;t defeated the Belarusian since 2009.<br /> <br /> Azarenka had been out of action since consecutive first-round losses in Tokyo and Beijing, but she came through nicely against Errani on Tuesday, adjusting to the conditions and picking up steam as the match wore on.<br /> <br /> The former finalist should be able to get by Jankovic, and if she does she&#39;ll more than likely be a lock to reach the semifinals.<br /> <br /> <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Pick: Azarenka in Two</span><br /> <br /> Serena Williams vs. Agnieszka Radwanska</strong><br /> <br /> It&#39;s desperation time for <strong>Agnieszka Radwanska</strong> already in Istanbul. After dropping her first match in straight sets to <strong>Petra Kvitova </strong>on Tuesday the Pole badly needs a win if she wants to keep alive her chances of reaching the semifinals for a second consecutive year. Normally that wouldn&#39;t be too big of an ask, but when one takes into consideration that her opponent is the venerable <strong>Serena Williams</strong> it seems more like an impossibility than a possibility.<br /> <br /> Williams owns a 7-0 career edge against Radwanska, and she&#39;s only dropped one set (in the 2012 Wimbledon final) against her. In short, it&#39;s a very tall, perhaps gigantic order for Radwanska. But if she can play well, win some games and maybe even manage to win a set, it might help her if tiebreakers come into play to determine the semifinal qualifiers.<br /> <br /> Serena looked very focused on Tuesday in dropping only four games to <strong>Angelique Kerber</strong>. That&#39;s bad news for Radwanska, who will need a drop in Serena&#39;s level to have any hope of beating her.<br /> <br /> From the looks of things, it&#39;s not going to happen.<br /> <br /> <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Pick: Williams in Two</strong></span></span><br /> <br />