Serena Williams makes big return to European autumn tennis By John Bagratuni

dpa German Press Agency Published: Tuesday October 2, 2007

By John Bagratuni,
Stuttgart- Serena Williams returned to the Porsche tennis
Grand Prix for the first time in eight years on Tuesday with a 6-0,
6-0 demolition of Czech lucky loser Zuzana Ondraskova.
Williams took just 47 minutes to overwhelm the 140th-ranked
Ondraskova, who replaced injured Russian Elena Bovina on short
notice.

"I think I played really well. Most of all I am excited to be
back," said the former world number one Williams, who is known for
her fashion sported a pink babydoll-like dress.

The sixth-seeded Williams had played just twice before at the
tournament formerly held in Filderstadt, losing in 1998 and 1999 to
French player Sandrine Testud.

Her only appearances on the European indoor circuit in autumn
since 1999 were a 2002 title in Leipzig, Germany, and a first-round
defeat in 2004 in Linz, Austria.

Williams won the Australian Open in January for her eighth Grand
Slam title, but was beaten by world number one Justine Henin at the
other three majors.

Tuesday's match could give no indication of her current form as
Ondraskova was too weak. As the world number seven player, Williams
is among several players chasing a berth at the season-ending Masters
in Madrid bringing together the eight best players of the year.

Earlier, defending champion Nadia Petrova rallied to beat local
wildcard entry Tatjana Malek 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 in 1 hour 33 minutes.

"I haven't played a lot in the past four weeks. In the beginning I
didn't know how to play the points," said Petrova.

There was more joy for Russia when Elena Dementieva got her fifth
win in the 13th meeting with former world number one Amelie Mauresmo
of France, 6-2, 7-5.

Mauresmo dropped serve in the 11th game of the second set as her
poor and injury-plagued year saw another setback. The French player
has dropped to a current number 12 in the rankings.

Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France was not as lucky,
losing 0-6, 6-2, 6-1 against Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska on
her 23rd birthday in 2:01 hours.

"I woke up after the first set. I knew I had to change something,"
said the 36th-ranked Radwanska.

Radwanska famously beat then holder Maria Sharapova at the US Open
and later last month won her first career title in Stockholm. Her
next opponent is world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

In another match, Israel's Shahar Peer beat Francesca Schiavone of
Italy 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) to set up a meeting with number three seed
Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.

The top four seeds - the others being world number one Justine
Henin of Belgium and Anna Chakvetadze of Russia - have a first-round
bye.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

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