French Open - Women: Ivanovic made to sweat

Eurosport - Mon, 25 May 13:57:00 2009

Holder Ana Ivanovic was made to sweat much more than expected in a 7-6 6-3 victory over unheralded Italian Sara Errani to reach the second round of the French Open.

TENNIS 2009 - Ana Ivanovic of Serbia reacts during her match against Sara Errani of Italy during the French Open at Roland Garros - 0

The eighth-seeded Serb needed two hours and two minutes to break the resilience of world number 44 Errani to set up a meeting with either France's Camille Pin or Tamarine Tamasugarn.

Ivanovic, who had only won two matches on clay this season before arriving at Roland Garros, threw away 10 break points in the first set and was stretched into a tiebreak which she claimed after 72 minutes.

Errani lost focus in the tiebreak after contesting a call and she paid for it by allowing Ivanovic to move 5-2 up and clinch it 7-3.

Ivanovic staved off four break points in her opening service game of the second set before moving 5-1 up and although Errani pulled a break back, the 21-year-old Serb wrapped up the win on her third match point with a smash.

Though Ivanovic made it through, Amelie Mauresmo's French Open dreams turned to dust in the first round when she was beaten 6-4 6-3 by Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld.

The former Australian Open and Wimbledon champion has never felt at home in front of her own fans at Roland Garros but had hoped to enjoy her 15th tilt at the title.

It was not meant to be, however, and a sloppy forehand long on matchpoint summed up her miserable day.

Mauresmo suffered her earliest defeat since 2001 and with her 30th birthday fast approaching, she is unlikely to have many more chances of improving on her two quarter-final showings here.

China's Li Na, the 25th seed, had the honour of becoming the first player to reach the second round thanks to a 6-4 6-2 win over Poland's Marta Domachowska.

The 26-year-old Li, who missed the 2008 tournament because of injury, needed just 72 minutes to make the last 64 where she will face Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky.

Li was quickly joined in the next round by promising Russian 17-year-old Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 27th seed, who eased past Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-3 6-2.

Eighteen-year-old Russian qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko, the world 151, reduced Mathilde Johansson, one of a record 19 Frenchwomen in the draw, to a tearful wreck after a three-hour 2-6 6-2 10-8 win.

Johansson wasted eight match points, four of which were squandered on double faults.

Diatchenko, making her Grand Slam debut, will face either world number one Dinara Safina or Britain's Anne Keothavong for a place in the third round.

Ninth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus enjoyed a comfortable 6-4 6-2 victory over Italy's Roberta Vinci in which she was never seriously threatened.

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Reuters

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  1. Oh come on Sanches don`t get mad :-)
    Ray`s predictions­ are always negative towards Serbs, but in a tollerant­ levels, so I hope he will not take this too hard ;-)­ Had some really good discusions with him.. he remembers­ ;-) !
    I agree Ana was not so great, and commented here­ first that she should practice some serve.. and could­ say movement is still not good.. overall stability - ­ hmm like a teenager..
    but we believe in our Ana.. she­ is just made for great stuff !
    and salute to you­ Sanchez.. stay in good shape and hopefully friendly­ towards Serbs like you were in last few months..cheers­ !

    From Igor K, on Mon 25 May 2:49PM

  2. I hope you are right alison as i don't feel­ confident at all about my money on her now. Oh Igor I­ wish you will just remove those blinkers or take your­ flag waving somewhere else. Ray V was spot on, nothing­ has changed in her game. I thought she had been working­ on something new to target another victory. What I saw­ yesterday will not pass the fourth round.

    From sanchez.santos, on Mon 25 May 1:25PM

  3. Ana will do ok now she has her first round out of the­ way.Don't forget she is defending champ so must of­ been nervous coming out on court first to open play.Go­ Ana go good luck.

    From AJ, on Mon 25 May 11:50AM

  4. excuse me, but has Sharapova made it through the first­ round without even playing yet?
    Fist punching is ugly­ but Ivanovic does overdo it!!! Hope she is fitter than­ she looked yesterday.

    From chrystal_rainbow, on Mon 25 May 10:46AM

  5. @ Ray V - whenever you predicted bad, and always for­ Serbian players (remember Novak ;-) .. it was quiet­ opposite.. so keep up a good work dude ;-) you­ obviously work like a charm :-)

    From Igor K, on Mon 25 May 10:03AM

  6. Yea 18, even if the opponenet makes an error...

    From fodsdaoutsider, on Mon 25 May 9:48AM

  7. Go Ana u r the best in the world i like the way of ur­ plying

    From sami, on Mon 25 May 8:14AM

  8. GO ANNA!!! YOU R THE BEST & YOU KNOW IT!!!­ AJDEMO!!! :))))

    From Yavor, on Mon 25 May 4:28AM

  9. Go ANA.. AJDE! :)

    From ralesrbin, on Mon 25 May 12:03AM

  10. "Ivanovic forces Sharapova into sweaty­ submission"

    From Anon, on Sun 24 May 11:10PM

  11. Chemical Ali,

    Oh Gawwwddd!!! That would be awful! Ohh­ Gawwwddd!!!

    From Anon, on Sun 24 May 11:09PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    4th round, thats the farthest she can get. Nothing­ really chnage in her game.

    From Ray V, on Sun 24 May 10:39PM

  13. This fists shows from Ana is a bit childish.. This is­ affecting her game.. less emotions and good play will­ see her back to a good form..

    From Augustine A, on Sun 24 May 9:47PM

  14. Like Tim Henman at Wimbledon,Amélie Mauresmo feels too­ much pressure at Roland Garros.That's not really a­ surprise,I expected a tough match against Groenefeld­ who has a huge serve and gives no pace,was the typical­ tricky match...Amé was so gutted...Amélie=forever­ cursed at the French open,so be it.Hopefully,she will­ be redeeming herself in London where the pressure is­ nonexistent to her.

    From Jeremy, on Sun 24 May 8:57PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    "Ivanovic ties Sharapova up in knots, whips her,­ then celebrates with her trademark FIST PUMP"

    From Chemical Ali, on Sun 24 May 8:19PM

  16. supero_enrico91,

    'Ivanovic whips Sharapova'?­ Perhaps 'Sharapova makes Ivanovic sweat then gets­ whipped by her'?

    From Winston Bunn, on Sun 24 May 7:58PM

  17. sharapova will never make the final and believe shes in­ the opposite half of the draw. if she cant even beat­ bondarenko in a tournament like warsaw, well, even­ worse; she got whipped, so she wont go nowhere near the­ quarters, i think...
    my guess is that ana will face the­ williams sisters in the semis and final, though those­ two have proven theyre more than up to that challenge­ :(
    but im convinced youre up to the challenge, ana!

    From supero_enrico91, on Sun 24 May 7:37PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I can't wait for the news "Sharapova makes­ Ivanovic sweat"!!

    From Winston Bunn, on Sun 24 May 6:52PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Bring me the sweat of Ana Ivanovic!

    From Andrew Broad, on Sun 24 May 6:39PM

  20. well she is coming back from injury, it does not mater­ how far will she go these year it is important to get­ on her level as soon as possible...and id like that to­ be now :)

    From kulukma_tuktut, on Sun 24 May 6:21PM
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