Serena makes winning start to European season

Madrid: Former world number one Serena Williams marked her first European appearance of the season with a victory on the Madrid Open’s striking blue clay courts on Monday. Holder Petra Kvitova also started well as the third seed defeated New Zealander Marina Erakovic 6-2, 6-3. Towering Czech Kvitova beat Victoria Azarenka in the final last year before going on to win the Wimbledon title. [caption id=“attachment_302013” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Serena Williams marked her first European appearance of the season with a victory on the Madrid Open’s striking blue clay courts on Monday. Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP”]  [/caption] Williams, who reached the third round the last time she played in Madrid in 2010, powered past last week’s Budapest Grand Prix runner-up Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-3, 6-1. The ninth seed delivered some powerful serves, hitting 14 aces to set up a meeting with another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in the next round. “I was feeling good,” Williams told reporters. “It’s my first tournament in Europe this year and I just hope I can keep up the good form,” added the American who has yet to lose in eight clay outings this season. “I haven’t noticed a difference between the blue and the red clay. I think it’s the same, it’s just you don’t get as dirty,” added Williams. Reuters