03 February 2005	Thursday	23 Zilhaj 1425

TOKYO, Feb 2: Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova recovered from a slow start to beat Venezuelan Maria Vento-Kabchi 7-6 6-0 at the Pan Pacific Open on Wednesday.

Last year's U.S. Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova trounced Swiss qualifier Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian 6-3 6-1 to join fellow Russian Sharapova in the last eight of the $1.3 million event.

Sharapova struggled initially in her first match since losing to Serena Williams in last week's Australian Open semi-finals. She dropped serve twice and was clearly frustrated with herself before finally seizing control and racing through the tiebreak 7-3.

A more focused Sharapova powered through the second set in just 20 minutes, the 17-year-old closing out the match with her ninth ace. Sharapova squandered match point in a crushing 2-6 7-5 8-6 loss to Williams in Melbourne.

Williams went on to beat Lindsay Davenport in the Australian Open final at the weekend. "It took a while to find my groove and rhythm," said Sharapova. "I didn't have the best preparation coming from the Australian Open - just a few days.

"I wasn't nervous. I needed a little more time on this surface. It suits my game because the ball moves fast and low and I picked up my level in the second set." Kuznetsova was wrongly accused of doping violations last month and forced to play down talk of a rift with Sharapova during the Australian Open.

But the third seed looked comfortable from the start on Tokyo's indoor carpet as she pummelled Mikaelian into submission in just 49 minutes. "It was tough playing my first match after the Australian Open," said Kuznetsova, who was beaten by Sharapova in the Melbourne quarter-finals.

"It's the start of the year and I'm not playing too well yet but I'm not complaining. I think I have a chance to win another grand slam this year. "I know it will be more difficult because players know more about my game and they will have the key to beating me."

The top four seeds received a first-round bye. World number one Davenport and Russia's Elena Dementieva play on Thursday. In first-round matches, American Jill Craybas beat Russian Tatiana Panova 6-4 4-6 7-5. Japan's Akiko Morigami overcame Spaniard Maria Sanchez Lorenzo 6-4 6-1.

RESULTS

(SECOND ROUND): * 3-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian (Switzerland) 6-3 6-1; 2-Maria Sharapova (Russia) bt Maria Vento-Kabchi (Venezuela) 7-6 (7-3) 6-0;

(FIRST ROUND): * Jill Craybas (U.S.) bt Tatiana Panova (Russia) 6-4 4-6 7-5; Aiko Nakamura (Japan) bt Ryoko Fuda (Japan) 3-6 6-4 6-2; Akiko Morigami (Japan) bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (Spain) 6-4 6-1;

DOKIC, BARTOLI RETIRE

PATTAYA CITY): Second seed Marion Bartoli of France and former Wimbledon semi-finalist Jelena Dokic both retired from the Thailand Open on Wednesday. Bartoli, suffering from severe abdominal illness, looked close to collapse and was taken from the court in a wheelchair after dropping the opening set 6-4 to Magui Serna.

Dokic quit with a groin strain after falling behind 7-6 (7-1) 1-0 against Alyona Bondarenko from Ukraine. The tournament lost its main drawing card on Tuesday when Martina Hingis, on a comeback to the sport, was beaten in the first round.

In Wednesday's second round action, Bartoli swept the first four games against Serna, playing aggressively and not allowing her Spanish opponent to settle. But she left the court when Serna had pulled back to 4-3 and after returning and receiving ice and massage treatment she could barely compete.

Dokic had hopes of resurrecting a career that has seen ranking drop from four to 126. Having hit 12 double-faults and shared 102 unforced errors in winning her first round match, she was equally erratic.

There were glimpses of what made the troubled Serbian such a potent force at one time, but she lacked consistency in the rallies and her serve was once again a liability.

After serving for the set at 6-5 she made little effort in the tiebreak, winning just one point, and after dropping her serve with a ninth double fault to begin the second set she decided that she could not continue.

Despite her career collapsing in such dramatic fashion, losing nine consecutive first round matches to end her 2004 season, Dokic is determined to fight her way back.

"For now I'll play small tournaments," she said. "I want to get some matches, get myself back. I'm a long way from where I was and where I want to be so it will take a while."

RESULTS

SECOND ROUND: Magui Serna (Spain) bt 2-Marion Bartoli (France) 6-4, retired Alyona Bondarenko (Ukraine) bt Jelena Dokic (Serbia) 7-6 (7-1) 1-0, retired Evgenia Linetskaya (Russia) bt Mara Santangelo (Italy) 3-6 6-2 6-2; 7-Anna Lena Groenefeld (Germany) bt Galina Voskoboeva (Russia) 6-4 6-2, -Reuters