Injury-hit Williams claims Melbourne win
January 20, 2011 -- Updated 1048 GMT (1848 HKT)
Despite having won Wimbledon five times and the U.S. Open twice, Venus Williams has never claimed the Australian Open.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Venus Williams recovers from one-set down to beat Sandra Zahlavova in Australia
- Caroline Wozniacki is also through after a straight-sets win at Australian Open
- Justine Henin beats British number one Elena Baltacha in 61 minutes
The fourth-seed Williams had not lost a set to the Czech in any of their four previous meetings, but Zahlavova remedied that when she claimed the first thanks to a tie break.
After falling behind, the 30-year-old Williams required treatment in the locker room after picking up a groin injury and returned with the area heavily strapped to win the final two sets of the match.
Williams, who is playing in only her second tournament since the 2010 Wimbledon championships after struggling with a knee injury, recorded her win in three hours and one minute.
"I wasn't very happy, to say the least," the American said of her injury on the tournament's website.
"I mean, with an injury like that, you just don't know what to expect. I think what keeps me going is knowing that when I'm healthy I play really, really well and knowing that I have so much good tennis in my body keeps me motivated."
Knowing that I have so much good tennis in my body keeps me motivated
--Venus Williams
--Venus Williams
The seven-time grand slam winner -- who wowed the crowds with another head-turning outfit -- will face Germany's Andrea Petkovic in the third round after the 30th seed also came from behind to defeat Britain's Anne Keothavong 2-6 7-5 6-0.
The fashion verve of Venus Williams
Top-seed Caroline Wozniacki and 2004 champion Justine Henin had less complicated second rounds, with both winning in straight sets.
World number one Wozniacki dispatched America's Vania King in under an hour with a 6-1 6-0 win.
"I was playing aggressively," the Dane told the WTA Tour's website. "I took the balls early and made her run, and had a couple of good net approaches. In general I played solid."
Wozniacki will next play Dominika Cibulkova, the Slovakian who beat her in Sydney last week. Cibulkova eliminated Alberta Brianti of Italy 6-1 4-6 6-2.
Belgian Henin, seeded 11th, beat British number one Elena Baltacha 6-1 6-3 at the Rod Laver Arena.
The 28-year-old Henin has won seven majors and overcame Baltacha in 61 minutes, despite being troubled by an elbow injury.
The Australian Open should be in February!
Henin's next opponent will be former French and U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.
Kuznetsova, 25, ended the hopes of Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus with a 6-1 6-4 win on Show Court Two
Russia's Maria Sharapova is into the next round after a hard-fought 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 success over Virginie Razzano.
Sharapova, a champion at Melbourne Park in 2008, lost the opening three games of the match to her French opponent but bounced back to seal victory in little over two hours.
"Looking back, obviously you want to play faster matches with an easier score line," Sharapova, 23, said.
"That would be great, but it's also good to play these types of matches where you're put in a situation where you have to find a way to win, especially when your opponent is playing really well."
The 14th seed will meet 22-year-old Julia Goerges in the last 32 after the German eliminated 20th-seed Kaia Kanepi 6-4 3-6 6-4.
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