Tennis: Venus Williams makes triumphant return

MIAMI: Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, who has not played a WTA event since pulling out of last year's US Open, made a triumphant comeback on Wednesday at the ATP/WTA Miami hardcourt tournament.

Williams defeated Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-0, 6-3 in 77 minutes, firing five aces against two double faults and connecting on 56 percent of her first serves while surrendering only one service break.

With the victory, Williams advanced to a second-round match against Czech third seed Petra Kvitova, who had a first-round bye.

Williams announced at the US Open she had been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorder Sjogren Syndrome, an illness which saps energy and causes joint pains.

Williams announced at last year's US Open she had been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorder Sjogren syndrome, an illness that saps her energy and causes pain in her joints.

Williams, who did play doubles for the US Fed Cup team last month, pulled out of last year's US Open after a first-round victory.

Williams advanced to a second-round match against Czech third seed, and Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, who had a first-round bye, while next up for Clijsters is her first match against Germany's 14th-seeded Julia Goerges.

Kvitova defeated Williams in 2008 in their only prior match.

First round matches began in the men's draw with Chile's Fernando Gonzalez making his ATP farewell as Frenchman Nicolas Mahut defeated him 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3). Gonzalez last month announced his decision to retire after this event.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko outlasted American James Blake 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, to book a second-round date with US 10th seed John Isner, the runner-up to Roger Federer last week at Indian Wells. (AFP)