Serena Williams beats Flavia Pennetta in Toronto

After almost 10 hours of rain decimated the Monday schedule at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, Sabine Lisicki stepped out onto center court and put on a show against Venus Williams.

After waiting out a lengthy rain delay, Germany’s Sabine Lisicki defeated Williams 6-0, 6-3 Monday, August 10, in their first-round match at the Rogers Cup.

Williams later saved two match-points but could not fight off a third as Lisicki improved her record to 4-1 against the American.

Lisicki, on the other hand, was strong in her service game and rarely made the kind of mistakes that cost Williams.

Williams, trailing Three-Zero, had an opportunity to interrupt again however couldn’t convert as Lisicki held to forge additional forward.

Was Williams struggling with her serve, or was Lisicki’s return a factor?

“It is all the time robust after an extended rain delay, you do not know in case you are ever going to get onto the courtroom and with a troublesome match towards Venus”, stated Lisicki.

This was Williams’ second match since she lost to her sister Serena during the fourth round at Wimbledon, and she was noticeably shaky.

“I think I had some very good returning tonight”, she said.

Within the first match of the day on middle courtroom, Italian 15th seed Flavia Pennetta beat Canadian wild card Gabriela Dabrowski 6-Four 6-1 to arrange a second spherical encounter with world primary Serena Williams. “My opponent and I were under the same conditions, and she played really well”. “Just a tough draw and bad luck”. She was in the top, so we know she has the game to be there.

“It’s going to be nice because I’ll play one of the best players ever”, Pennetta said. “She has so much power, not only physical power but mentally as well”.