Venus Williams scores 700 career wins

Wuhan (China):  Venus Williams beat Julia Goerges at the Wuhan Open to reach 700 career wins on Tuesday, the only active women’s player to achieve the milestone other than her sister Serena.

The 35-year-old, still winning despite her ongoing fight with Sjogren’s Syndrome, said she had no idea she was approaching the milestone before her 6-4, 6-3 victory in China. “I didn’t know. I’m glad nobody told me before. I would have been a little bit nervous,” the American told reporters.

She added, with a smile, that her first thought now was how long would it take her to get to 800. Williams, who is the oldest player at Wuhan and turned professional in 1994, when Goerges was not yet six, becomes only the ninth player to reach 700 wins.

Meanwhile, Belinda Bencic and Victoria Azarenka joined the growing ranks of walking wounded at the Wuhan Open Tuesday, when they both retired from their second round matches with injuries.

The pair follow Maria Sharapova — who retired Monday from her first match since Wimbledon with a new arm injury — and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard who pulled out saying she had not yet recovered from a concussion.