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Holder Venus cruises through opening match

  • Story Highlights
  • Defending champion Venus Williams into second round of women's singles
  • Third seed Williams defeats Swiss teenager Stefanie Voegele in straight sets
  • Top seed Dinara Safina also goes through but is troubled by a knee problem
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(CNN) -- Defending Wimbledon champion Venus Williams eased through to the second round of the women's singles with a comfortable straight sets victory over Swiss teenager Stefanie Voegele under beautiful blue skies on Center Court.

Venus is through to the second round at Wimbledon after a straight sets victory on Tuesday.

Venus is through to the second round at Wimbledon after a straight sets victory on Tuesday.

Third seed Venus will next face Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko after a 6-3 6-2 victory over the world number 97 who was making her debut at the All England Club.

The American, who is seeking a sixth singles title at SW19, had a couple of shaky moments on her own serve -- and was broken twice before reaching the second round in 78 minutes.

"This is the best place to be when you are a professional tennis player and I savor every blade of it," Williams told reporters.

"I've had that crown for several years and I want to make it mine. I really enjoyed being out there. It's a special moment when you walk back as defending champion on that court, throw those balls up for the first point. It's a really great feeling.

"Wimbledon for me has been a place of great success and pure joy. I've had so many wins here in singles and doubles. I feel good here and I take advantage of that feeling."

Meanwhile, top seed Dinara Safina's quest to win her first Wimbledon title may be scuppered by a knee problem she suffered in her first round victory over Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain.

The Russsian won her match 7-5 6-3, but complained she was finding it difficult to put weight on her left knee in the latter stages of the second set.

"I have been having problems for two months with my left knee and at the end of the second set it was too painful," Safina told Press Association Sport.

"It was a pain to put all the weight on it and I was struggling but hopefully with treatment it will get better. I will be able to compete because I have a physio here. I will take care of my knee and there is always painkillers."

In other women's matches, Sixth seed Jelena Jankovic is also through to the second round after defeating Germany's Julia Goerges 6-4 7-6 and she will next face Czech Iveta Benesova, who beat young British hope Katie O'Brien in three sets.

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Meanwhile, Australian Jelena Dokic, who made her career breakthrough here in 1999 when she defeated top seed Martina Hingis before experiencing problems in her personal life, took the first set off German qualifier Tatjana Malek before losing 3-6 7-5 6-2.

Dokic complained of feeling dizzy at the end of the second set and had her blood pressure taken at courtside. Malek now goes on to face Australian 18th seed, and French Open semifinalist, Samantha Stosur.

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