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SYDNEY, Jan 10: Amelie Mauresmo’s Australian Open preparation was thrown into disarray Tuesday when the world number three failed in her first match at the Sydney International warm-up event.
Unfancied Serbian teenager Ana Ivanovic produced a giant-killing performance to eliminate the Frenchwoman in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 at the Sydney Olympic Tennis Centre.
For Ivanovic, the win consolidated the steady progress that saw the 18-year-old rise from 97 in 2004 to end the season ranked 16.
Earlier, Kim Clijsters swept aside China’s Li Na in straight sets in her first Australian appearance since splitting from local hero and ex-fiance Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.
The Belgian disposed of Li 6-3, 6-1 in 53 minutes, although she said her 23-year-old opponent provided some tough match practice on the hardcourt surface.
Despite struggling with the heat, the 22-year-old looked sharp covering the court.
She said she prepared for her Australian campaign by taking extended saunas at her home in Belgium but still found the heat difficult after coming straight from winning the Champions Challenge in chilly Hong Kong last weekend.
Once known as “Aussie Kim,” Clijsters, who won the Sydney International in 2003, said she enjoyed the support from the Australian crowd, which obviously bore no resentment over her dumping of favourite son Hewitt.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, world number eight and tournament fifth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne brushed aside Russian Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-2.
China’s Zi Yan was defeated 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 by tournament seventh seed Francesca Schiavone, while Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova advanced after compatriot Dinara Safina, the sister of Marat Safin, retired hurt with blisters on her foot.
Czech eighth seed Nicole Vaidisova disposed of Ukranian Yuliana Fedak 6-3, 6-3.
Results
Women (Round two)
Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Li Na (CHN) 6-3, 6-1; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Dinara Safina (RUS) 6-3, retired (foot blister) Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) bt Vera Dushevina (RUS) 6-2, 6-2 Ana Ivanovic (SEM) bt Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) 6-3, 7-5 Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) bt Yuliana Fedak (UKR) 6-3, 6-3 Francesca Schiavone (ITA) bt Zi Yan (CHN) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) bt Patty Schnyder (SUI) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Nadia Petrova (RUS) bt Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 6-1, 6-2
Men (Round one)
Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-2, 6-4; Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-3, 6-2; Florent Serra (FRA) bt Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4; Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) 6-3, 6-4; Peter Luczak (AUS) bt Xavier Malisse (BEL) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7-3); Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Kristof Vliegen (BEL) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3; Carlos Moya (ESP) bt Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4); Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Tasmanian WTA results
HOBART: Results of matches in the WTA Tasmanian International played here on Tuesday:
First round
Michaella Krajicek (NED) bt Maret Ani (EST) 6-4, 6-4
Second round
Mara Santangelo (ITA) bt Anne Kremer (LUX) 7-5, 6-1; Jill Craybas (USA) bt Severine Bremond (FRA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; Laura Granville (USA) bt Jamea Jackson (USA) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3; Michaella Krajicek (NED) bt Stephanie Foretz (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Jelena Kostanic (CRO) bt Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Martin dumps Ginepri
AUCKLAND: American third seed Robby Ginepri paid for an erratic performance by being bundled out of the first round of the New Zealand Open by Spaniard Alberto Martin on Tuesday.
Martin beat the world’s 16th ranked player and 2005 US Open semi-finalist 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-2 by running down every shot and forcing errors from Ginepri in warm conditions.
Ginepri became the biggest casualty of the first round after an inconsistent performance, mixing impressive shotmaking with basic errors and poor net play.
Four breaks of serve in the first set led to a tiebreak which the 27-year-old Spaniard took comfortably 7-1.
Ginepri, who caught the eye with a series of comebacks to win three five-set matches in succession in last year’s US Open, took the second set easily to set up the decider.
Results
First round
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-2, 6-2; Olivier Rochus (BEL) bt Albert Montanes (ESP) 6-2, 6-4; Raemon Sluiter (NED) bt Daniele Bracciali (ITA) 6-3, 6-4; Ivo Minar (CZE) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 6-1, 6-2; Paul Goldstein (USA) bt Filippo Volandri (ITA) 6-0, 3-1 (retired ill); Alberto Martin (ESP) bt Robby Ginepri (USA) 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-2; David Ferrer (ESP) bt Federico Luzzi (ITA) 7-5, 6-2; Ivo Minar (CZE) bt Wesley Moodie (RSA) 2-1 (retired injured); Fernando Gonzales (CHI x1) bt Luis Horna (PER) 6-3, 6-4; Christophe Rochus (BLR) bt Jose Acasuso (ARG) 6-4, 6-4; Jan Hernych (CZE) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 6-1, 6-2.
