Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams cruised through to the Wimbledon second round on Wednesday with such ease that their argument for equal prize money was left looking decidedly unconvincing.
Russian pin-up Sharapova, the 2004 champion, took only 51 minutes to see off Israeli veteran Anna Smashnova 6-2, 6-0, while defending champion Williams took just a minute longer to beat compatriot Bethanie Mattek 6-1, 6-0.
Top seed Amelie Mauresmo, the world number one, was the most merciless as the Frenchwoman took only 39 minutes to continue the trend of mismatches with a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Croatian qualifier Ivana Abramovic.
Despite her quick-fire win, Sharapova insists the women should be treated equally by the Wimbledon authorities.
”It’s only the first match on a grass court. There are other tournaments where there are first-round matches which are a lot tougher,” said the fourth seed.
”Women and men should be treated equally. This is an amazing sport and there is as much interest in women’s tennis as there is in men’s.
”Just because we can’t play five sets because of our genes, what can we do?”
Williams was overjoyed to have the backing of British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the campaign.
”The fact that Mr Blair finds this cause extremely important gives it credence. It’s about being treated equal as a human being.”
Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters had the easiest afternoon of all the top women when she reached the third round without hitting a ball after her opponent, Viktoria Kutuzova of Ukraine, had to withdraw because of a virus.
Meanwhile, the 2002 men’s champion Lleyton Hewitt, the sixth seed, began his campaign in fine style, beating Italian Filippo Volandri 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 while Argentina’s fourth seed David Nalbandian, the runner-up four years ago, enjoyed a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 win over France’s Arnaud Clement to reach the third round.
Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic, the fifth seed, reached the second round with a marathon 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 11-9 win over Spain’s Feliciano Lopez.
Roger Federer’s assault on a fourth successive Wimbledon title faces another stiff test when he takes on Britain’s Tim Henman, one of the few men whose career record against the world number one is not in the red.
Henman, four times a semifinalist at the All England Club, enjoys a 6-4 edge against Federer, including a quarterfinal triumph here in 2001.
However, Federer has won the last three without dropping a set and is in no mood to surrender his new 42-match grass court winning streak.
”I had hoped that he would not be in my section of the draw because I know how well he can play on grass,” said the top seed.
”He beat me here in 2001 and he was a dark horse early on in my career. We’re also good friends. It’s tough.”
Federer eased into the second round on Tuesday with a straight-sets win over Richard Gasquet while Henman, unseeded for the first time in a decade, struggled over five sets to see off Sweden’s Robin Soderling.
Andy Roddick, the runner-up for the last two years, faces Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic later on Wednesday.
Russian ninth seed Nikolay Davydenko was knocked out, losing his first round match 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (10/8), 6-3 to Colombia’s Alejandro Falla while Mardy Fish beat American compatriot Robby Ginepri, the 17th seed, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. — AFP
