If Maria Sharapova collides with Venus Williams in the third round of the Australian Open this week, they might both be so short of court time that the Russian and the American could be on closer terms than anyone would have imagined a week ago.
Sharapova, last year’s beaten finalist, flexed her 25-year-old muscles ever so briefly on day one, while Venus, 32 but apparently fit again, reminded us in a similarly impressive blitz that she might yet have something to add to her glittering CV – just as her sister, Serena, proclaimed before the start of the tournament. All of a sudden the women’s draw is bubbling up with unexpected promise.
The Russian, seeded number two, will probably need more than the 58 minutes she took to double-bagel (6-0, 6-0) compatriot Olga Puchkova when she faces Japan’s Misaki Doi in the second round; she might even wish it were so, because she learned little from her opening workout other than most facets of her game are in good order.
Williams, meanwhile, took only two minutes longer to overwhelm Galina Voskoboeva, and will be bursting with confidence against Alizé Cornet of France, who had to fight all the way against the New Zealander Marina Erakovic.
It is good to see a smile on Williams’s face after all she has been through over the past couple of years, and she was relaxed enough to talk with a lighter heart about her ongoing recovery from the auto-immune disease that still has the power to leave her devastated.
Asked about her switch to a vegan diet, the food-loving Williams revealed she is not exactly addicted to the regime, describing herself as a “cheagan”.
She said: “If it’s on your plate I might get to cheat. If you’re sitting next to me, good luck. You turn your head once and your food might be gone. I’m not perfect, but I try.”
She is philosophical about entering her 18th year as a Tour professional, owner of seven grand slam titles yet somehow regarded now as marginal in the run for big titles.
Dangerous opponent
“My goals in ’95, I didn’t even know what I was doing,” she admitted. “I just thought I had a dream and thought I could do it. Now I have done a lot of things and I don’t really have anything to prove except for I have my desire to play and to play well. That really is what it’s about at this point.”
A fit and relaxed Venus Williams in that mood is probably as dangerous an opponent as Sharapova could face in the first week of a slam.
Novak Djokovic’s bid to make history here started impressively as the world number one swept aside the challenge of Paul-Henri Mathieu. Djokovic is hoping to become the first man in the Open era to win three successive titles in Melbourne and looked in ominously good form.
Guardian Service
