Roddick Serve Too Much for Wimbledon Debutant Schwank
LONDON—Twice runner-up Andy Roddick came through three tough first round sets on Tuesday to beat Wimbledon debutant Eduardo Schwank of Argentina 7-5 6-4 7-6.
The Argentine, coached by Javier Nalbandian, brother of world number seven David, often outplayed Roddick from the back of the court in only his third outing on grass but was unable to trouble the American's ever-strong service game.
Roddick called upon his eight years of Wimbledon experience to break serve late to take the opening two sets and snuffed out any potential of an upset by wrapping up the third-set tie-break 7-0.
Former world number one Roddick, a beaten quarter-finalist last year, faces Janko Tipsarevic in the next round after the Serb beat Thierry Ascione of France 7-6 6-4 6-2.
Impressive Jankovic Cruises Into Wimbledon Second Round
Second seed Jelena Jankovic powered past Ukraine's Olga Savchuk 6-3 6-2 to ease into the second round at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
The Serb, yet to get beyond the fourth round in singles here but a mixed doubles champion last year with Briton Jamie Murray, enjoyed a mostly trouble-free passage once she had found her range with some venomous hitting.
Successive rasping winners earned a break in the seventh game and she then reeled off seven successive games before Savchuk stemmed the tide and then broke Jankovic for the first time. The revival was a brief one, Jankovic breaking immediately to seal the contest with a forehand winner.
While compatriot and world number one Anna Ivanovic won her first grand slam singles title in Paris, Jankovic is still trying to shed her tag of being a nearly woman after reaching the semi-finals in four of her last seven grand slams, including at Roland Garros earlier this month.
Venus Storms Through at Wimbledon
A pesky bee almost threw Venus Williams off course at Wimbledon on Tuesday but the defending champion regained her composure to swat aside Naomi Cavaday and reach the second round.
Opening Centre Court proceedings on the traditional 'Ladies Day', the American ran into some early trouble before she staked her claim for a fifth title at the All England Club with a 7-6 6-1 win over British wildcard Cavaday.
Before opening the defence of her crown, Williams had admitted she knew little about her 197th-ranked opponent.
If Williams had done her homework, she would have known that Cavaday comes to life on the big stage since she almost dumped out former champion Martina Hingis in the first round last June.
Yet on Tuesday, it was hovering bumble bee that caused Williams more alarm.
Serving at 40-0 up on her opening service game, the seventh seed was irritated by the insect buzzing around her ankles. She swiped it away but the disruption caused her to lose focus and Cavaday raced through the next five points to break and led 3-1 before Williams eventually restored normal service.
"I was about to serve. I felt something on my leg. I looked down. It was a bee, a big old bumblebee," said Williams, who reeled off the last six games to book her place in round two.
"I was trying to get it to go off. I don't know if they sting or not. Do they?
"I didn't want it to sting me... then I ended up losing that service game, so I guess the bumble bee got me off to a bad start," she added to hoots of laughter.
Feeds