In Andy Roddick's words, he and Novak Djokovic are through the tense mechanics of an enormous match "a million" times: the pressure, the occasion, the formidable opponent. The Olympics, though, bring an uncommon twist.
Roddick, a three-time Wimbledon finalist, and Djokovic, the 2011 champion at the All England Club, can play Tuesday within the second spherical of the Olympics. each are cautious of every other's strengths, and aware that this match is a few ton quite a private victory.
"Ninety-five p.c of the time, when a tennis player plays, it's for pretty selfish motives, and in the week isn't one among those," Roddick said Monday once defeating Martin Klizan of Slovakia, 7-5, 6-4.
Serena Williams beat Urszula Radwanska of Poland, 6-2, 6-3 within the second spherical on Court one, simply weeks once defeating Radwanska's sister, Agnieszka, within the Wimbledon final this month. On Wednesday, the five-time Wimbledon champion plays No. 13-seeded Vera Zvonareva, the Russian she beat in 2010 for the fourth of these titles.
"She's taking part in therefore well, moving well, doing everything nice," Williams said. "It's not a simple tournament. you've got to induce out there. taking part in somebody therefore robust therefore soon, it's aiming to be an honest challenge on behalf of me."
Top-seeded Roger Federer created a quick look on Centre Court, beating Julien Benneteau of France 6-2, 6-2 in but an hour to succeed in the third spherical.
Second-seeded Djokovic, who lost to Federer within the semifinals at Wimbledon, would appear to possess the sting over Roddick, whose world ranking has slipped to twenty two. The Serb wasn't complacent.
"Andy has one among the strongest serves within the world, ever, and it's his biggest weapon," Djokovic said. "The grass courts this year are terribly quick and it is a low bounce, therefore i feel i will be able to ought to be on high of my game so as to win that match."
Even as he ready for the competition, Djokovic relished the "special feeling" of being a part of one thing larger, a team that represents his country.
"We all support one another, we have a tendency to all keep near one another, and this is often the necessary issue," he said. "We all try and fancy each moment of it."
Roddick created similar remarks, saying it absolutely was an honor to be asked to play for the us within the Olympics, which he was happy that London was chosen for the event as a result of it's an area he is aware of well. He said it absolutely was "my own fault" that he was facing Djokovic therefore soon within the tournament as a result of he's unseeded.
"The guy has been the most effective player within the world over the last few years. It's aiming to be robust," Roddick said. "But things, we've each been through it 1,000,000 times. i am aiming to ought to serve well and take some probabilities on returns."
Roddick's Olympic match, delayed daily by rain, was his initial in eight years. He lost within the third spherical at the 2004 Games and skipped Beijing in 2008.
The Olympics have dazed a number of the tradition at Wimbledon, erecting purple backdrops and discarding the white-only rule for tennis garb. Roddick said he had taken some "wrong turns" round the grounds as he gets used to the various setup.
"We grasp that Wimbledon are going to be Wimbledon once more next year," Federer said. "But right away, it is the Olympic Games. it's imagined to show a discrepancy."
The seven-time Wimbledon winner said the prices for Olympic tennis were low as a result of an existing facility is getting used. He noted the Olympic website in Sydney hosts an enormous tournament, and said it absolutely was a pity that an equivalent website in Athens does not have a tournament.
"Beijing was additionally a good stadium," Federer said. "It has its edges still for tennis, that they still use the Olympic sites then. they do not use it in Barcelona, i do not assume either, as a result of i used to be simply there recently. however you'd hope that they'd as a result of they are doing build one thing huge."
Also Monday, Venus Williams began her bid for a record fourth gold medal in Olympic tennis by beating Sara Errani of Italy, 6-3, 6-1.
It was a formidable showing from Williams, who is unseeded and drew a tricky first-round foe. Errani has won four titles this year, was the runner-up at the French Open and is ranked a career-high No. 9.
But Williams was in fine kind on the Wimbledon grass, where she has won 5 of her seven Grand Slam titles.
Venus Williams was diagnosed last year with an autoimmune disease that may cause fatigue, however she nonetheless began 2012 determined to create the Olympics for the fourth time. She won the gold medal in singles at the 2000 Games and teamed with Serena to require the gold in doubles in 2000 and 2008.
Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania on Centre Court, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
Lleyton Hewitt of Australian and Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, each three-time Olympians, won their gap matches. No. 9-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina, No. thirteen Marin Cilic of Croatia, No. sixteen Richard Gasquet of France and big-serving Milos Raonic of Canada additionally advanced.
In doubles, the Williams sisters began a bid for his or her third Olympic doubles gold medal by eliminating Sorana Cirstea and Simona Halep of Romania 6-3, 6-2. They won in 2000 and 2008. Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, who won gold in 2008, defeated Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda of Japan, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4.
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