The first match of the Sony Ericsson Championships was between Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Jankovic. The Belorussian debutant at the Championships triumphed in straight sets 6-2 6-3, making 15 unforced errors compared to Jankovic’s 33.

The second match of the day featured defending champion Venus Williams and Elena Dementieva. Williams entered the encounter with an impressive 9-2 record against Dementieva, including six straight wins over the Russian. The American built a 6-2 3-1 lead in the match at the season-ending Championships, and looked to be extending her streak, when Dementieva fought back to eventually take a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-2 victory.

The first day of the round robin stage at the Sony Ericsson Championships was closed with Serena Williams’ tight win over Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-6(6) 7-5. Williams came back from behind multiple times to have her revenge for the quarterfinal loss to Kuznetsova at the 2009 French Open. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

As we’re slowly approaching the end of the 2009 season (for some players it’s already over), the first Grand Slam of the year is warming up for January’s action, by painting everything blue.

The 2010 Australian Open has released its TV commercial and the women's tennis stars featured are defending champion Serena Williams and home favorite Samantha Stosur.

Has the No.1 jinx already transferred to Serena Williams? Just one round after securing to be ranked No.1 in the next week’s rankings the American lost to Nadia Petrova 6-4 3-6 7-6(5).

The 13th-seeded Petrova and second-seeded Williams each won a set of their third-round match and in the decider they both held serve until tiebreak, having each faced only one break point in that final set. Petrova raced to a 5-0 lead in the tiebreak and although Williams showed resistance the Russian managed to close it out.

Before this encounter, Petrova had defeated Williams only once in their seven previous meetings. (photo courtesy of Women Who Serve)

Serena Williams seems to be celebrating her freshly regained No.1 ranking by posing nude for ESPN The Magazine’s first "Body Issue".

As our faithful reader Teerin shares, athletes will take their clothes off for the "Body Issue" annually. This year, the only women’s tennis player featured, among six athletes, is Serena Williams.

The issue of the magazine will hit news stands on October 9.

Reminder: Two years ago Serena got nude for Jane magazine, when she was photographed from a different perspective.

World No.2 Serena Williams is guaranteed to return to the top of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings, having defeated Ekatarina Makarova in the second round of the China Open.

Serena had one condition to fulfill in order to overtake Dinara Safina – to go further at the China Open than the Russian. It proved to be an easy task as Safina lost in the second round to No.226-ranked Zhang Shuai, who became the lowest-ranked player ever to defeat a world No.1.

Here’s you can watch an interview with Serena Williams after her 6-3 6-2 victory over Makarova.

Safina is spending her 25th week at No.1. Williams will take her place next Monday and begin her 73rd career week as a top-ranked player. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)