Serena Williams wins in Madrid, Djokovic withdraws

MADRID (AP) Serena Williams brushed aside Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-2, 6-1 to open her defense of the Madrid Open title on Sunday, while Maria Sharapova beat Klara Koukalova 6-1, 6-2 in the first round.

In the men's tournament, Novak Djokovic withdrew before the start of the event because of a right wrist injury that had already affected his play at Monte Carlo last month.

The top-ranked Williams, who has won the clay-court tournament the past two years, hit 11 aces and broke Bencic five times to advance in less than an hour.

Williams will play Peng Shuai of China in the second round.

Sharapova, who lost to Williams in last year's final, converted six of eight break points to take advantage of Koukalova's eight double-faults.

The eighth-seeded Sharapova will play Christina McHale of the United States next.