William, Clijster make triumphant returns

Former world number ones Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters made triumphant returns to the WTA after long layoffs with victories on Wednesday at the WTA and ATP Miami hardcourt tournament.Seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who has not played a WTA event since pulling out of last years US Open, defeated Japans Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-0, 6-3 in 77 minutes.It was great to be back out there, Williams said. It was definitely a bit nerve-wracking... but I was able to get a great start and settle in and play well against a really difficult opponent. It was definitely an ideal start.Williams announced at last years US Open she had been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorder Sjogren syndrome, an illness that saps her energy and causes pain in her joints.Just to be in this tournament is a huge win for me, Williams said.Thats what I told myself going in, that this is a win. I have nothing to lose. I just tried to get in the tournament. There were a lot of tournaments I didnt make.Williams, who did play doubles for the US Fed Cup team last month, pulled out of last years US Open after a first-round victory.At this point in time its important for me to play smart, Williams said. Im an attacker. Thats what I do best and thats what I tried to do today. I dont have the time to give any points away. I have to stay really focused on my game plan.The good thing is Im playing well. I know how to play, so I havent lost any steam in that, the fact that I can play tennis. Thats comforting for me.Belgiums Clijsters, playing for the first time since her Australian Open semi-final loss to World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, rallied to eliminate Australias Jarmila Gajdosova 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.Its always tough to get that first match rhythm under your belt, Clijsters said. When it comes down to my game I felt I wasnt quite going through my shots as I should have.I was just trying to find that rhythm, but on the other hand maybe forgetting to still play aggressive tennis. But as I started to feel more comfortable with the conditions and being in a match situation again I was hitting better, and that definitely showed in the second and third sets.Clijsters, who won at Miami in 2005 and 2010, skipped last weeks Indian Wells tournament to rest her injured ankle, the latest in a list of ailments in the past year that has also included a bad shoulder, wrist and abdomen worries.Its just a matter of getting those matches again, she said. One thing I can count on is I have the experience. It doesnt take me that long to get used to it again. But it has become tougher.Saying her ankle is at 95 percent, Clijsters pondered how close she came to downing top seed Azarenka in Australia and how strong the top-ranked player, now 23-0 for the season, has played.I felt like I was really close to winning that match, Clijsters said. She has been playing really good tennis. I think shes in a state of mind where she feels very confident and is on a roll.Its really showing in her game and in the way she approaches matches. I know what its like to be in that situation, where you feel very focused but at the same time playing freely, without any worries.Williams advanced to a second-round match against Czech third seed, and Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, who had a first-round bye, while next up for Clijsters is her first match against Germanys 14th-seeded Julia Goerges.Kvitova defeated Williams in 2008 in their only prior match.She has been playing very well in the last 12 months or so, Williams said. But I have had a lot of experience with playing well. Ill go in focused on executing my game and trying my absolute best.First round matches began in the mens draw with Chiles Fernando Gonzalez making his ATP farewell as Frenchman Nicolas Mahut defeated him 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3). Gonzalez last month announced his decision to retire after this event.Russian Nikolay Davydenko outlasted American James Blake 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, to book a second-round date with US 10th seed John Isner, the runner-up to Roger Federer last week at Indian Wells.