Venus too strong for Kleybanova - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Venus too strong for Kleybanova

Defending champion Venus Williams eased into the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a predictable 6-3 6-4 victory over Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova on Court Two.

Kleybanova, at 18 the youngest player left in the women's draw, fought out the early portion of the first set unscathed before a catastrophic service game with three double-faults and a spooned backhand saw her broken for 5-3.

Williams duly served out to take the first set and from that moment the result was never in doubt.

In front of a half-full and often only half-interested grandstand, Williams duly broke twice for a 4-0 lead in the second set.

Despite the air of gnawing certainty, Kleybanova bravely rallied, not only breaking Williams back once when she served for the match for the first time, but fashioning three points for an improbable double-break.

However, Williams fought back well and clinched victory with a backhand stop volley at the net.

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