KEY BISCAYNE, Florida, 27 March 2004 — Serena Williams made a triumphant return from an eight-month layoff, defeating Spanish qualifier Marta Marrero 6-1, 6-0 here yesterday at the WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament.

The 22-year-old American, idle since beating her sister Venus in last July’s Wimbledon final for her sixth Grand Slam crown, needed only 42 minutes to advance into a third-round match at the $6.5-million hardcourt event.

“Being my first match back, I was a little nervous going out there,” said Williams. “But then I decided I was going to go out and do the best I can. Once I stepped on the court, I was myself again. I stayed pretty focused out there.”

In breezy conditions, Williams finished with five aces and no double faults, hitting 17 winners and making 15 unforced errors.

“I didn’t play as well as I wanted to play,” Williams said. “I think I could have done a lot of things better. I mis-hit a few balls, made a lot of errors.”

Two-time defending champion Williams will next face the winner of a later match between Czech qualifier Barbora Strycova and Russia’s Elena Likhovtseva. The top 32 men and women each received first-round byes in the 96-player draws. Venus Williams, seeded second despite being only 17th in the rankings, will open today against China’s Zheng Jie, who weathered a rain delay to defeat Czech lucky loser Sandra Kleinova 6-4, 6-0.

Some matches were completed between raindrops. Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti outlasted Sweden’s Thomas Enqvist 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in a match that took nearly 24 hours to finish, halted by the blackout and delayed again by downpours.

Venus could face sister Serena in the final in quest of a fourth crown here after titles in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

The major obstacle to another all-Williams final, Jennifer Capriati, is coming off a back injury that sidelined her for three months. The American fourth seed could meet Serena Williams in the semifinals.

Capriati was to face Czech Klara Koukalova later for a third-round berth against Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou, who beat Japan’s Akiko Morigami 6-3, 6-3.

Japanese sixth seed Ai Sugiyama lost to Venezuela’s Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-1, 7-5, eliminating another threat from Serena’s side of the draw.

Swiss men’s world No. 1 Roger Federer was to open later against Russian Nikolay Davydenko. Britain’s seventh-seeded Tim Henman, who lost to Federer in last week’s Indian Wells final, was to open against Austria’s Jurgen Melzer.

Argentina’s third-seeded Guillermo Coria ousted South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira 7-6 (7 2), 6-0.

Sixteenth-seeded American Mardy Fish became the first big name to fall on day three when he was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by French qualifier Julien Benneteau.

Marathon man Todd Martin of the US came through another epic, winning his second straight three-setter against Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 5-7, 7-5. Aussie Nicole Pratt beat Spain’s Arantxa Parra 7-6 (7 3), 6-7 (2 7), 6-4 in a rain-interrupted affair.

Vince Spadea needed seven hours and 10 minutes to dispose of fellow American James Blake in the first round on Thursday.

Spadea, who won his first title in 223 attempts three weeks ago in Scottsdale, outlasted Blake 6-7 (12-14) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 in the Masters Series event.

Andy Roddick of US opens today against Slovakia’s Karol Beck, who ousted Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-1, 6-3.

Australian 11th seed Mark Philippoussis will open against Czech qualifier Jan Hernych, who ousted Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 7-5, 7-5. Aussie wild card Todd Reid beat Brazil’s Flavio Saretta 6-4, 6-4.

Ukraine’s Tatiana Perebiynis also advanced with 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) victory over Laura Granville of US. Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn also beat Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-1, 6-3.