Hong Kong, Oct 11 (IANS): US tennis player Venus Williams kicked off her Hong Kong Open campaign in style by beating Japanese Risa Ozaki on Monday in the first round of the tournament.
Williams, second-seeded, defeated her Japanese opponent 6-4, 6-1, reports Efe.
The American managed to reach the semi-finals last year, and will now play the second round against France's Alize Cornet, who upset the other American Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 6-2.
On the other hand, world number one German Angelique Kerber will begin her journey at the Hong Kong Open against Greece's Maria Sakkari, ranked 97th in the world.