Serena back at number one

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Serena Williams returned to the  top of the world with a routine win at the China Open yesterday  but Andy Roddick and Jelena Jankovic plumbed the depths when  their title defences ended in their opening matches.  

Williams’s 6-3 6-2 second-round victory over Russian  Ekaterina Makarova means she will replace Dinara Safina as world  number one when the rankings are issued next week, ending the  Russian’s controversial 25-week reign.  

Her fellow American Roddick, however, was humbled 6-2 6-4 by  Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot, while Serbian Jankovic, nursing  the wrist injury that forced her to retire from last week’s Pan  Pacific Open final, lost 4-6 7-5 6-2 to China’s Peng Shuai.  

World number two Rafael Nadal later came through a thorough,  130-minute test of his fitness after a two week layoff with an  abdominal injury, beating Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 3-6 6-4  in an entertaining first-round encounter.  

Safina’s defeat to 226th-ranked wildcard Zhang Shuai on  Monday had left the way open for Williams to return to the  number one spot and she never looked like blowing her chance.  

The second seed was broken in her first service game and  made a meal of her last but converted her fourth match point to  seal the victory, raising a single finger in the air in  celebration of her return to the top.  

“I’m really excited,” said the 28-year-old. “Obviously I’m  happy to be there because I’ve worked so hard this year to get  there. I think I’ve earned it.”  

Men’s third seed Roddick never really came to terms with  Kubot’s serve and the Pole’s fifth ace of the match ended the  world number six’s reign as China Open champion.  

“I’m going to be making obvious statements here but I didn’t  play well,” a clearly fatigued Roddick said. “I was just trying  stuff out there and nothing seemed to be working that well.”  

Nadal was playing his first match since his U.S. Open  semi-final defeat by Juan Martin del Potro and was pleased with  how he finished the tight contest against his fellow former  China Open champion Baghdatis.  

“I didn’t play my best tennis, but I’m very happy with how I  played in the last four games, very aggressive with the forehand  and going to the net,” said the Spaniard. “My body is okay  today, and tomorrow, I hope.” 

Jankovic, seeded eighth, served for the match in the second  set against Peng but her heavily strapped arm could not take the  strain when the twice China Open semi-finalist forced a third  set.  

“It was very difficult and I couldn’t really play my best  tennis,” said Jankovic. “Despite that I had a chance to win in  two sets but she took it to a third and my arm just didn’t hold  up. It’s very disappointing.” 

Maria Sharapova, who was handed her first title since her  return from injury when Jankovic withdrew in Tokyo last  Saturday, mounted a sensational fight back from 5-2 down in the  third set to beat ninth seed Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-7 7-5.  

“The match isn’t over until we shake hands,” said the  Russian. “I realised that I didn’t want to be going home. I just  went forward and I kept being aggressive and stayed positive and  that gets you a long way.”  

Her fourth seeded compatriot Elena Dementieva, who won  Olympic gold here last year, beat Hungarian Melinda Czink 6-4  6-3 to set up a last-16 tie against China’s number one Li Na.  

Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko beat fellow Russian Igor  Kunitsyn 6-1 6-7 6-2, Spain’s fifth seed Fernando Verdasco beat  American Robby Ginepri 6-7 6-1 6-2 and seventh seed Fernando  Gonzalez also progressed with a 7-5 6-4 win over David Ferrer in  the men’s first round.