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TOKYO -- Venus Williams overpowered Mona Barthel of Germany 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday to advance to the second round of the Pan Pacific Open. http:///...itt-Steelers-Jersey/ . Williams needed just 1 hour, 4 minutes at Ariake Colosseum to dispatch Barthel and set up a second-round matchup with top-seeded Victoria Azarenka, who has a first-round bye. Williams is 2-0 in head-to-head matches against Azarenka. They last met three years ago in the Dubai Duty Free final. "Ive watched many of her matches," Williams said. "Especially the big matches against Serena. Watching them at the U.S. Open was awesome, and hopefully that will help me." Top-ranked Serena Williams, who won her 17th Grand Slam singles title with a three-set win over Azarenka at the U.S. Open, pulled out of the $2.3 million tournament, saying she needed time to recover from a busy summer playing schedule. No. 3-ranked Maria Sharapova also pulled out of the Tokyo tournament because of a right-shoulder injury that kept her out of the U.S. Open. In other matches, ninth-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States beat Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland 6-3, 6-2 while 12th-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia came from a set down for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Alize Cornet of France. Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium, seeded fourteenth, defeated Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (4), 7-5. Sorana Cirstea of Romania beat Julia Goerges of Germany, 6-4, 6-4. http:///...rns-Steelers-Jersey/ . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. http:///...ree-Steelers-Jersey/ . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. http:///...tis-Steelers-Jersey/ .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.CASABLANCA, Morocco -- Ivory Coast qualified for a third straight World Cup after surviving a nervous finish to draw 1-1 with Senegal for a 4-2 aggregate win in the African playoffs on Saturday. Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Ivory Coast won the first leg 3-1 at home and held the Senegalese at bay in neutral Morocco until deep into the second half when Drogba dragged down Sadio Mane. Substitute Moussa Sow scored from the 77th-minute spot kick to put Senegal within a goal of eliminating Africas top-ranked team in a major upset. With Senegal surging forward in the dying seconds, and just after coming within inches of a game-changing second goal, Ivory Coast broke away on the counterattack and Yaya Toure set up Kalou four minutes into injury time for the score that sealed their progression. Ivoory Coast made its World Cup debut only in 2006 and has never got out of the group stage, but there are higher hopes in Brazil for the team that boasts some top stars. http:///...her-Steelers-Jersey/. . It will join African champion Nigeria at the World Cup, which beat Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate earlier Saturday to become the continents first team to qualify. Ivory Coast and Senegal met for their second leg in Casablanca because of a stadium ban on Senegal after a riot in an African Cup qualifier between the teams last year. It was also the first Senegal game since the death of Bruno Metsu, the French coach who led the Senegalese to the quarter-finals at the 2002 World Cup, the teams first and still only appearance at the finals. Senegal was far more adventurous in the early stages as Ivory Coast tried to protect its aggregate lead and Dame Ndoyes header was kept out only by a goal-line clearance from Drogba. Papiss Cisse shot straight at Ivorian goalkeeper Boubacar Barry when clean through three minutes into the second half. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '