Warsaw, May 2:

Venus Williams beat Michaella Krajicek 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday in the first round at the J&S Cup. The former top-ranked American traded breaks early in the first set with the 18-year-old Krajicek before breaking again at 5-4 to win the first set.

Williams, who was playing in her fourth tournament of the year after an injury-plagued 2006, broke her Dutch opponent again to lead 4-2 and cruised from there.

Also, Mara Santangelo upset fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova 6-3, 6-3 in the second round. The 31st-ranked Santangelo easily won the first set, but the ninth-ranked Petrova jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second. Santangelo then won the next six games to advance.

“I tried to do my best, be aggressive and play my game and try to get the points, not wait for the points,” Santangelo said. “I’m playing good since the beginning of the year and I’m confident, I’m feeling good physically and mentally.” The 25-year-old Italian could next meet top-seeded Justine Henin.

Estoril Open

OEIRAS: Paul-Henri Mathieu beat fourth-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-2, 6-4 in the first round of the Estoril Open. The Frenchman wrapped up victory over the Australian Open finalist in just over 80 minutes. Richard Gasquet of France made it into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Max Mirnyi of Belarus. Dmitry Tursunov of Russia and Agustin Calleri of Argentina needed three sets to advance. Tursunov beat Florent Serra of France 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, while Calleri ousted Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Vincent Spadea of the United States overcame Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, but American Michael Russell lost to Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-2.

In the women’s first round, top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France bet Portugal’s Neuza Silva 6-2, 6-1, and No 2 seed Francesca Schiavone of Italy also won in straight sets against Croatia’s Ivana Lisjak 6-1, 7-5.

Martina Muller lost 6-4, 6-0 against Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, while Flavia Pennetta beat Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-3, 6-1.

Eleni Daniilidou retired with a calf injury when she was 6-4, 3-1 down against Alberta Brianti of Italy. Gisela Dulko stumbled in the second set but rallied to knock out Julia Schruff 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. Sofia Arvidsson crushed local player Frederica Piedade 6-0, 6-0.