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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Serena Williams of the United States returns returns the ball against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia during a first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London at the 2012 Summer Olympics today.
LONDON >> Serena Williams advanced to the second round at the Olympics on Saturday on the same court where she won the Grand Slam title at Wimbledon on July 7.
U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama watched from the front row of Williams’ box as the fourth seed beat former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, 6-3, 6-1 on Centre Court.
Williams, a 14-time Grand Slam singles winner, is aiming for her first gold medal in Olympic singles. She has won two gold medals in doubles with sister Venus.
American Christina McHale lost her Olympic debut to former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, 6-4, 7-5.
McHale, ranked 26th, played the first match of the tournament on Wimbledon’s Court 18. At 20, she’s the youngest member of the U.S. tennis team.
Ryan Harrison’s Olympic debut ended with a mangled racket when he lost to Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 7-5, 6-3.
Harrison’s game began to unravel after he lost serve to fall behind 6-5 in the first set. He slammed his racket to the grass in anger after losing the next-to-last game, and when he double-faulted on match point, he broke his racket by again spiking it.
Harrison is ranked 52nd, and at 20 he’s the youngest man on the U.S. team.
