0
CARLSBAD (California), July 29: Former French and Australian Open champion Mary Pierce crushed fellow Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano 6-1 6-3 on Monday to reach the second round of the $1 million Acura Classic.
But world number one Serena Williams pulled out of the tournament because of an injury to her left knee.
WTA Tour official Darrell Fry said that, after Williams was examined in Los Angeles, her doctor told her that she needed to rest.
The Wimbledon champion also pulled out of last week’s Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California with pain in her left knee.
Pierce was lethal against Razzano, controlling the centre of the court with her hard groundstrokes and dictating with her return of serve.
The injured-plagued Frenchwoman has not won a tournament since she triumphed at Roland Garros in 2000, but against Razzano she showed the form that once took her to number three in the world.
The 28-year-old, who now meets former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez of Spain, is ranked 73rd in the world and needed a wild card to get into this week’s event.
Pierce, who also won the 1995 Australian Open, said she felt better than she had in three years. Last month, she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon.
Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual beat Russia’s Alina Jidkova 2-6 6-2 6-4 to earn a clash with second-seeded Belgian Kim Clijsters, who won the Bank of the West Classic title.
First round results:
Eleni Daniilidou bt Rita Grande 7-5 6-3; Magui Serna bt Laura Granville 6-3 6-3; Mary Pierce bt Virginie Razzano 6-1 6-3; Tina Pisnik bt Paola Suarez 6-2 3-6 7-5; Virginie Ruano Pascual bt Alina Jidkova 2-6 6-2 6-4; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Leslie Koffi 6-2 6-1; Marion Bartoli bt Marissa Irvin 7-6 (7-4) 6-4; Nicole Pratt bt Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3 4-6 6-4; Elena Likhovtseva bt Shinobu Asagoe 6-3 6-1; Amy Frazier bt Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 7-5 7-6 (7-3).
Bogomolov Jr WINS
LOS ANGELES: American Alex Bogomolov Jr advanced to the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Cup with a solid 6-3 6-2 victory over Ricardo Mello on Monday.
Bogomolov Jr eased past the Brazilian to record only his third win on the ATP tour in 2003. He won his first match on the men’s circuit this year at Indianapolis last week.
World number one Lleyton Hewitt will start his campaign on Tuesday against Cecil Mamiit of the U.S., while second seed Sebastien Grosjean of France will play 2002 Wimbledon semi-finalist Xavier Malisse.
Results: First round
Jan Vacek bt Kevin Kim 2-6 6-1 6-4; Eric Taino bt Hyung-Taik Lee 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2; Kenneth Carlsen bt Bobby Reynolds 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-3); Alex Bogomolov Jr bt Ricardo Mello 6-3 6-2.—Reuters
