Venus sparkles in second round
Posted: Wednesday January 20, 1999 12:25 PM
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Venus beat Carlsson 6-2, 6-1 and moved into the third round AP |
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Two days after declaring it was not
her fate to fall in the first round of the Australian Open, and
divining a way out of a third-set predicament, Venus Williams
decided all is right again in her world.
Williams' confidence always borders on cockiness, a trait that
doesn't quite endear her to fellow players. But when she's on,
she's got the game to back it up.
And Williams was, indeed, on Wednesday night. Performing, not
just playing. Glowing under the lights in her banana-yellow halter
top and crayon-colored hair beads. Reaching out with those long,
rubbery arms and cracking winners from every conceivable position.
Drumming baseline shots and fairly pirouetting to the net for
overhead smashes. Ripping serves at up to 117 mph (192 kph), a
tournament high for women.
The fifth-seeded Williams spotted Sweden's Asa Carlsson the
first two games, then reeled off the next 11 en route to a 6-2, 6-1
romp and a berth in the third round.
"I guess I displayed the more modern Venus," Williams said.
"The first round was the Venus from the '80s that disappeared a
long time ago, because I really quit playing those type of matches,
unless I was playing someone like the No. 1 player. I really don't
want to go through that anymore.
"I was very happy tonight because I was able to have more
control of my game. Everything that I had been practicing was
really coming together."
Asked what she did to turn herself around after the close call
in the first round against Croatia's Silvija Talaja, who finally
yielded at 9-7 in the third set, Williams said she looked to her
younger sister Serena for inspiration.
"I watched Serena's example, how to put an opponent away, and
wondered why I wasn't doing those things," Williams said. "She
played a girl who was really hitting the ball well. She hit it flat
and deep, and Serena took care of it. She sid, 'Venus, what's the
problem?' I'm supposed to set a better example for her."
If the "modern Venus" sticks around and doesn't revert to the
'80s version, she could be on her way to a quarterfinal duel
against top seed Lindsay Davenport, who has won six of their seven
matches.
"In the past I have had some trauma against her," Williams
said. "Every time she played me, she has definitely had to play
her best. No matter who I'm playing, they know they're going to
have to play their best to beat me. Whether I'm playing good,
whether I'm playing bad. And she has done that and gone ahead and
defeated me.
"In the future, the very near future, I want to change that.
She has made it known that she wants to be a competitor, a grand
slam winner, a No. 1. I have made it known that I can be No. 6, so
I have to do better."
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