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Williams, Roddick advance in early tennis action
By Randy Walker // U.S. Tennis Association // August 15, 2004
ATHENS, Greece – August 15 – Defending gold medallist Venus Williams of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., opened up play at the 2004 Olympic tennis competition Sunday defeating Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-1, 6-2 in 57 minutes.
Following William’s victory, Andy Roddick of Austin, Texas followed defeated Flavio Saretta of Brazil 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the first round, and celebrated the victory by meeting reigning Olympic gold medal Greco-Roman wrestler Rulon Gardner, who attended Roddick’s match.
Williams was playing in her first match since she was forced to retire in the semifinals of the WTA Tour event in Carson, Calif., on July 25 with a sprained right wrist. Williams joyously celebrated her victory by raising both arms in the air and waving to the fans in the crowd in a celebration more reserved for a tournament victory than a first-round victory.
“I’m always excited after each match. I think most athletes playing in front of tons of people, great crowds, you don’t always get to enjoy the moment because we’re so busy concentrating, focusing, fighting and doing whatever it takes. After the match is over, I try to enjoy the moment, because during the match, there’s so much intensity going on that you don’t always realize how blessed and how lucky you are to be able to play in front of a world stage.”
Williams said that she has spoken to her younger sister Serena Williams, who withdrew from the Games on August 11 with a knee injury, but did not discuss the Games or what is going on in the tennis competition.
“It was tough for us,” she said. “I haven’t her like everything that I’ve been doing. I have said a lot about (The Games). She’s pretty upset. I haven’t talked about the Olympics really. I just talked about other stuff, not the things that I‘ve been doing.”
Williams also had high marks for Greece as host city for the Olympic Games and as a destination.
“I love Greece,” she said. “Everybody’s been so nice to me. I have a real sense of well-being. My first reaction was like “I feel like I’m on vacation here” but I have to work, so I can’t get a vacation….I am going to come here for vacation and if there’s a tournament here, I’ll be the first one to sign up.”
Roddick, playing in his first Olympic Games, said that he felt there was a different vibe to the opening day of the Olympic tennis competition
“I was a little more nervous today than I would be normally for a first round match,“ Roddick said.
Roddick served 12 aces and 16 service winners past Saretta, while connecting on 69 percent of his first serves. His fastest serve was registered at 139 mph. He told reporters of his passion for the Oiympic Games, living in the Olympic village and trading pins with other athletes.
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