'One-legged' Venus still hard to beat

IMBLEDON, England – Even on one good leg, Venus Williams is tough to beat at Wimbledon.

The five-time champion wore a strap on her left knee Thursday but still advanced to the third round by beating Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine, 6-3, 6-2. In the men’s draw, No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina became the highest seed to be eliminated so far, losing in straight sets to Lleyton Hewitt of Australia.

Tournament favorite Williams has been hampered by knee trouble in the past, but there was no indication of a problem this week until she walked onto sunny Court 1 bandaged from mid-calf to mid-thigh.

Williams let out a yelp when she appeared to pull up on a backhand in the third game, perhaps because of the knee. Otherwise she moved across the grass freely, charging forward to pounce on short balls. She won 17 points at the net to two for Bondarenko.

Williams was coy about the reason for the tape.

“Just for support,” she said twice in response to questions.

Pressed about what was wrong with her knee, she said: “What happened was that I needed some support, and then I went and got the support, and then I wore it in the match. I’ll be wearing it in doubles, too. So it’s working out. I mean, I think all the players might start wearing it because it’s so supportive.”

Her mother and coach, Oracene Price, declined to discuss the matter. Williams wore the strap again later when she and sister Serena beat Virginie Razzano and Aravane Rezai in doubles, 6-3, 6-3.

In men’s play, two-time runner-up Andy Roddick lost serve only once and defeated Igor Kunitsyn, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

“It was comfortable most of the time,” Roddick said. “I played my best set by far in the fourth set.”

Roddick will next play No. 26 Jurgen Melzer, the Wimbledon boys champion in 1999.

Hewitt, who won Wimbledon in 2002, beat del Potro 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 to break an 11-match losing streak against top-five players. (AP)