Venus Ventures Forth to Second Round by William Toussaint Monday, August 29, 2005 Tenth-seeded Venus Williams cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Rika Fujiwara of Japan in the first round of the US Open Monday in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory places Williams on a path that could lead to a quarterfinal match-up against her sister Serena, who won her first-round match on the same court earlier in the day. Serena was in attendance during the hour-long match, along with the sisters' mother Oracene. Venus Williams, who won the Wimbledon title in July by defeating the top two ranked players, started a tad slowly against Fujiwara, who went ahead in the first set, 3-2. But the two-time US Open champion never seemed unsettled, hitting a serve that averaged 107 mph and blasting a total of five aces. In the second set, she commanded the court with deftly placed returns and celebrated the quick victory with a twirl. Fujiwara, 23, who has been enjoying a career-best season in singles, was scrappy with her forehand from the start, but she seemed to wilt a bit later on in the steamy New York weather, with a total of 21 unforced errors. - With the victory, Venus Williams continues her quest for a second straight major title (sixth overall). - Williams has competed in the US Open eight times and has won the championship twice (2000, 2001). - For her second US Open title, Venus Williams defeated sister Serena without dropping a set. - Rika Fujiwara has never won a tour title, but she has reached her best ever ranking this season -- No. 84 -- in August. - Williams is already one of just eight women in the Open Era to have won both the Wimbledon and US Open titles in the same year, and one of only three to achieve the feat more than once. --

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