MIAMI, March 23: Venus Williams, unseeded as she plays just her second tournament of 2007, overcame a slow start to reach the second round of the 6.9 million-dollar WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament here on Thursday.

On a day that saw rain delays of more than five hours force a major reworking of the schedule, Williams opened the evening session on Stadium Court with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Yuliana Fedak of Ukraine. Williams eked out the first set despite 31 unforced errors.

A three-time Wimbledon winner and two-time US Open champion, Williams has been nursing an injured left wrist since last October. The US star has appeared in only one tournament this season, winning the WTA tier three event in Memphis last month. Williams faces 29th-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko in the second round. The top 32 seeds received first-round byes.

In the men's draw, Argentine Guillermo Canas ousted Britain's Tim Henman, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in first-round clash. Canas returned from a 15-month drug suspension in September and has been playing his way back into form.

The 29-year-old caused a sensation two weeks ago when he ousted world No. 1 Roger Federer in the second round at Indian Wells, ending the mighty Swiss player's 41-match winning streak.

He battled back from a set and a break down against Henman, posting yet another victory over a player he has beaten in three Grand Slams.

Unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova of Russia, who won her maiden WTA singles title at Bangalore last month, beat Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round.

In other early first-round matches on Thursday, Taiwan's Chan Yung-jan defeated Nuria Llaagostera Vives of Spain 6-2, 6-3 and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia beat Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-4.

On the men's side of the draw, Austria's Florian Mayer defeated Igor Kunitsyn, of Russia, 6-1, 6-0 and Italy's Potito Starace beat Russia Alex Kuznetsov 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).

Results(x denotes seeding):

Men (First round): Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) bt Kristof Vliegen (BEL) 6-1, 6-1; Martin Vasallo Arguello (ARG) bt Hyung-Taik Lee (KOR) 6-4, 6-2; Danielle Bracciali (ITA) bt Max Mirnyi (BLR) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Paul Goldstein (US) bt Ryan Sweeting (US) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3; Luis Horna (PER) bt Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) 5-2, ret; Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-4, 6-4; Simone Bolelli (ITA) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-4, 6-2; Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) bt Jan Hajek (CZE) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5; Ricardo Mello (BRA) bt Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-1, 7-6 (7/3); Thomas Johansson (SWE) bt Alberto Martin (ESP) 6-4, 6-3; Michael Llodra (FRA) bt Stefan Koubek (AUT) 6-4, 6-0; Guillermo Garica-Lopez (ESP) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5); Raemon Sluiter (NED) bt Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 6-2, 6-2; Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Nicolas Massu (CHI) 6-3, 6-3; Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) bt Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) 7-5, 6-1; Florent Serra (FRA) bt Chris Guccione (AUS) 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/8), 6-4.

Women (First round): Chan Yung-jan (TPE) bt Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 6-2, 6-3; Yaroslava Shvedova (RUS) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 6-3, 6-1; Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-4, 6-4; Michaella Krajicek (NED) bt Anna Tatishvili (GEO) 6-3, 7-6 (7/2); Emilie Loit (FRA) bt Sybille Bammer (AUT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) bt Shenay Perry (US) 6-2, 6-1; Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) bt Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 6-2, 0-6, 6-1; Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO) bt Varvara Lepchenko (UZB) 6-3, 6-3; Venus Williams (US) bt Yuliana Fedak (UKR) 7-5, 6-2; Iveta Benesova (CZE) bt Gisela Dulko (ARG) 6-3, 6-3; Ashley Harkleroad (US) bt Lauren Albanese (US) 6-4, 6-2; Elena Rodionova (RUS) bt Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) 7-5, 6-4. –Agencies