AFP, Melbourne :
Veteran campaigner Venus Williams dug deep to grind her way into the Australian Open second round Monday, beating plucky Ukrainian youngster Kateryna Kozlova in two gruelling sets.
The world number 17, who played her first Australian Open in 1998 and
turned professional in 1994, the year her opponent was born, came through the
near two-hour marathon 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.
“It’s never easy playing the first round,” said the American, who turns 37 this year and is competing in her 73rd Grand Slam, extending her Open-era record.
