adminBRISBANE. — World number one Serena Williams opened her 2014 season with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 win over Germany’s Andrea Petkovic in the second round of the Brisbane International yesterday. Williams, who was given a bye in the first round, was pushed hard by the unseeded Petkovic in front of a packed crowd at Pat Rafter Arena.
The American mixed the good with the bad, making 36 unforced errors but hitting 35 winners in the 98-minute encounter.
The defending champion now goes on to face Dominika Cibulkova in the quarter-finals after the ninth seeded Slovakian beat 43-year-old Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Williams began well against Petkovic, breaking the German’s second service game. — AFP.
Online Reporter