Past and present American champions made a rip-roaring start to the French Open on Monday. Serena Williams got the defence of her women’s title off to a perfect start with a 6-2, 6-1 mauling of Barbara Rittner of Germany, while Andre Agassi showed with his 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over Karol Beck of Slovakia that, even at 33, he is well capable of adding another success to the one he achieved here four years ago.
Agassi, the reigning Australian Open champion with eight Grand Slam crowns to his name, took his record for 2003 to 24 wins for only two losses by pulverising Beck in 95 minutes to make a mockery of his scant preparation. The Las Vegan came to Paris on the back of a first-round defeat in Rome against Spain’s David Ferrer, then skipped Hamburg — but the rest has clearly done the veteran good and he left the Philippe Chatrier showcourt with chants of ”Andre, Andre” ringing in his ears.
”I’m here because I believe I can win,” Agassi insisted after coming off court, having first bowed and blown air kisses to the fans. Agassi now faces Croatian Mario Ancic, who was leading Chilean former world number one Marcelo Rios 6-1, 1-0 when the South American withdrew with an arm injury.
Serena made it 29 Grand Slam match wins on the trot and she is now hoping she can make it five Grand Slam titles in a row — something last achieved by Steffi Graf across 1988 and 1989.
”It’s nice to be out there where all the magic began last year,” said Serena, who beat elder sister Venus in last year’s final and then went on to land Wimbledon and the US Open.
”It’s nice to have all the fans cheering me out there. I feel like I’m where I’d like to be,” said the 21-year-old from Michigan, who next faces Switzerland’s Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian, a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 winner over Indonesia’s Angelique Widjaja, last year’s junior champion.
But if Serena’s win and Agassi’s saunter in the sunshine saw the formbook, largely respected Peru’s Luis Horna threw it out of the window by overcoming men’s fifth seed Roger Federer on the Philippe Chatrier showcourt 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, 7-6 (7/3).
Federer, ranked among the favourites, made a rash of errors including a missed overhead smash which summed up his day.
”It’s a big disappointment. I’m very sad to be leaving so early. I should have played better,” said the 21-year-old Swiss from Basel, a quarter-finalist here two seasons ago.
”I know it’s going to be tough for me ever to win this tournament – I have natural ability on clay. But it’s definitely the surface I have to make the most progress on,” he conceded.
Horna was delighted to have sprung a major surprise.
”It’s a dream to knock out a seed,” said the 22-year-old Davis Cup player from Lima ranked 73 in the world, was making his debut at Roland Garros. There was another shock among the men when experienced 49th-ranked Slovak Dominik Hrbaty ousted tenth-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 7-5 while Spanish qualifier Galo Blanco downed twice finalist Alex Corretja 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5. Carlos Moya of Spain, the 1998 men’s champion who had expected to meet Federer in the quarters, defeated Filippo Volandri of Italy 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to set up a meeting with either Philippoussis or American Alex Kim. Also moving through was 1996 champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, who destroyed Julien Boutter of France 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Kafelnikov (29) mulled retirement after winning the Davis Cup with Russia last year but has a new spring in his step after making the semi-final in Rome. Mark Philippoussis was the comeback man of the day, the Australian beating Alex Kim of the United States 2-6, 6-7 (1/7), 7-5, 6-2, 6-2.
Back among the women it was a good day for Serena’s key rivals. Belgian fourth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne beat Patricia Wartusch of Austria 6-3, 7-5 while French fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo ousted compatriot Virginie Razzano 6-3, 7-5.
Henin-Hardenne, who came here with the German Open under her belt after ousting compatriot Kim Clijsters in the final a fortnight ago, now meets Croatian Jelena Kostanic. Mauresmo could face Serena in the quarter-finals while Henin-Hardenne could meet the champion in the semis. Mary Pierce, the women’s champion in 2000, failed to survive the opening round as Clarisa Fernandez of Argentina dealt the Frenchwoman a 6-2, 6-3 defeat. – Sapa-AFP