Venus topples Jankovic as Bartoli sweats

In a clash of former world number ones, Venus Williams toppled seventh-seeded Jelena Jankovic 7-5, 6-0 on Wednesday to reach the third round of the WTA’s green clay Charleston tournament.

In a clash of former world number ones, Venus Williams toppled seventh-seeded Jelena Jankovic 7-5, 6-0 on Wednesday to reach the third round of the WTA’s green clay Charleston tournament.

Jankovic had won her last four meetings on clay against Williams, but once the American heated up in the wake of a first-set rain delay, the Serbian couldn’t stop her.

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Third-seeded Marion Bartoli of France found the going much tougher, but persevered to get past Russian Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 in a second-round match lasting more than three hours.

“The first game was 22 minutes long I think, so that set up the tone,” Bartoli said.

“The last two years I lost first round here, and I didn’t want to lose again in the first set, so I really tried my hardest.