|
|
|
| May 24, 2005 | Tuesday | Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1426 |
Myskina becomes only champion to lose in first round
PARIS, May 23: The first Russian woman to win a grand slam crown, Anastasia Myskina on Monday became the first French Open champion to lose in the opening round as she was beaten 6-4 4-6 6-0 by doughty Spaniard Maria Sanchez Lorenzo.
Where 12 months ago the elfin Myskina had triumphed in glorious Parisian sunshine, her brief defence fell to pieces on centre court as storm clouds gathered overhead.
Drained by concerns over her mother’s health, the Russian’s heart simply was not in it and despite mustering a modicum of resistance in the second set she handed her 109th-ranked opponent the match with her 69th unforced error.
Since the tournament opened up to international competitors in 1925, only twice had competing champions failed to reach the second round. But neither Hungary’s Jozsef Asboth in 1948 nor Spain’s Manuel Santana in 1965 were beaten — both handed their opponents walkovers.
Sanchez Lorenzo’s joy was dampened by sorrow for her opponent.
Myskina’s defeat opened up the draw for 11th seed Venus Williams.
The American, who was beaten by younger sister Serena in the 2002 final, had been seeded to meet Myskina in the fourth round. Williams was to play Spain’s Marta Marrero later on Monday.
While Myskina’s misery deepened, men’s champion Gaston Gaudio made a solid start to his defence as he strolled past Julien Benneteau 7-5 6-1 6-0.
Men’s top seed Roger Federer also made it look easy, leaving 264th-ranked Dudi Sela stunned on a battle-scarred centre court.
The Swiss world number one crushed the Israeli qualifier 6-1 6-4 6-0 to reach the second round.
Women’s top seed Lindsay Davenport will also be happy to put her performance behind her, the women’s top seed struggling to an unconvincing 3-6 6-2 6-2 win over Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik.
The American was playing her first tournament in four weeks.
While Federer prepared for Paris by winning the Hamburg Masters, his opposite number in the women’s game took a break from training to go on holiday to Mexico.
If Davenport can shake off her lethargy she could face Belgian Kim Clijsters in the fourth round and on Monday’s showing, the number one seed would be heading home.
Clijsters, twice French Open runner-up, was in powerful form as she thrashed American qualifier Meilen Tu 6-1 6-0.
Rafael Nadal was equally impressive in battering Germany’s Lars Burgsmueller 6-1 7-6 6-1.
The 18-year-old tournament favourite is bidding to become the first man since Mats Wilander 23 years ago to win the French Open on his debut.
Former champion Carlos Moya overcame a slow start to oust fellow Spaniard Alberto Martin 5-7 6-1 6-4 6-2, and seventh seed Tim Henman romped through.
Monday’s results:
Women’s singles (first round): Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Meilen Tu (USA) 6-1, 6-0; Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) bt Julia Schruff (GER) 7-5, 6-2; Daniela Hantuchova (SVK ) bt Michaella Krajicek (NED) 6-3, 6-1; Jelena Kostanic (CRO) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 6-0, 6-1; Catalina Castano (COL) bt Denisa Chladkova (CZE) 6-1, 6-2; Shuai Peng (CHN) bt Mailyne Andrieux (FRA) 6-0, 6-1; Lindsay Davenport (USA) bt Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL) bt Alyona Bondarenko (UKR) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4; Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) bt Shenay Perry (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Mary Pierce (FRA) bt Vera Doucheniva (RUS) 6-2, 7-5; Virginie Razzano (FRA) bt Dinara Safin (RUS) 6-3, 6-3; Elena Dementieva (RUS ) bt Barbora Strycova (CZE) 6-3, 6-3; Karolina Sprem (CRO ) bt Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) 6-4, 6-2; Ludmila Cervanova (SVK) bt Aiko Nakaruma (JPN) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1; Marta Domachowska (POL) bt Stephanie Cohen-Aloro (FRA) 6-3, 6-3; Akiko Morigami (JPN) bt Angela Haynes (USA) 7-5, 6-4; Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) bt Anastasia Myskina (RUS x5) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0; Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) bt Yuliana Fedak (UKR) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Mariana Diaz-Oliva (ARG) bt Sophie Ferguson (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) bt Anne Kremer (LUX) 7-5, 6-2; Sandra Kloesel (GER) bt Mara Santangelo (ITA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1; Sanda Mamic (CRO) bt Lisa Raymond (USA) 6-2, 6-4; Emmanuelle Gagliardi (SUI) bt Tatiana Perebiynis (UKR) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; Eva Birnerova (CZE) bt Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3; Patty Schnyder (SUI x8) bt Yoon Jeong Cho (KOR) 6-3, 6-4
Men’s singles (first round): Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) bt Juan Monaco (ARG) 7-5, 6-3, 6-1; Carlos Moya (ESP) bt Alberto Martin (ESP) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; Mario Ancic (CRO) bt Marcos Daniel (BRA) 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4); Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1; Robin Vik (CZE) bt Kevin Kim (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 7-5; Xavier Malisse (BEL) bt Mardy Fish (USA) 6-2, 6-1, 6-1; Rafael Nadal (ESP) bt Lars Burgsmuller (GER) 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1; Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Jeff Morisson (USA) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Florent Serra (FRA) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 6-2, 6-2, 6-3; Roger Federer (SUI) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-1, 6-4, 6-0; Nicolas Almagro (ESP) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-3; Peter Wessels (NED) bt Ricardo Mello (BRA) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; Oscar Hernandez (ESP) bt Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-7 (4/7), 6-0, 6-3, 6-4; Fernando Vicente (ESP) bt Hugo Armando (USA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 6-3; Janko Tipsarevic (SEM) bt Dominik Hrbaty (SVQ x17) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 8-6; Davide Sanguinetti (ITA) bt Thierry Ascione (FRA) 3-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-3, 6-4; Luis Horna (PER) bt Jerome Haehnel (FRA) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-3; Olivier Patience (FRA) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Tomas Behrend (GER) bt Christophe Rochus (BEL) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2; Tim Henman (GBR) bt Juan Pablo Brzezicki (ARG) 6-2, 6-1, 6-4; Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-2; Richard Gasquet (FRA) bt Daniele Bracciali (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; David Ferrer (ESP ) bt Jiri Vanek (CZE) 2-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-0; David Nalbandian (ARG ) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.—AFP
|
|
|
|
