Kournikova Ends Losing Streak

Anna Kournikova won her first grand slam singles match in two years with a business-like 6-1, 6-2 victory over Slovakian Henrieta Nagyova, to the relief of her legions of male fans at the Australian Open.

Kournikova, who crashed to first-round defeats at all four grand slams in 2002, dismissed Nagyova in just 50 minutes at Margaret Court Arena to set up a meeting with fifth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne in the second round.

"I was not really thinking about the losing streak," Kournikova said. "A year ago, when I came back from injury, I was ranked around 100. This time I am 40 or so, so my goal is still to get back into the top 10."

The 21-year-old, who missed eight months of the 2001 season with a foot injury, insisted that she would continue to play attacking tennis against the recently married Henin-Hardenne on Wednesday.

"Obviously, Justine is a great player. She moves great and is really fast, so I really have to be focused," she said. "But I have nothing to lose. I'll just fight for every point and have fun out there."

However, asked if she would be having fun away from the court in Melbourne this year, Kournikova snapped: "I swam with dolphins once, three years ago, and went to the zoo once. I'm here to play."

Kournikova, who has yet to win a WTA Tour title but remains a huge draw because of her glamorous looks, showed no effects of the ankle injury that troubled her late last season against Nagyova.

She repeatedly chased down balls and made a number of winning passes despite the blistering conditions.

"I played nearly a perfect match today. It didn't cross my mind that I lost four first-round matches in a row at grand slams. It's not good if you think about it too much," said Kournikova. The Florida-based player insisted that she could still be a force on the tour.

"I think I am getting better mentally and in understanding the game and growing up. Definitely I can be better physically and can play better than I played today," she said.

Meanwhile Venus Williams, seeded second behind her sister Serena, disposed of Svetlana Kuzetsova 6-4 6-2 to reach the second round.

It was not all one-way traffic, but once Venus had shook off the ring-rustiness caused by two months away from competitive action there was only going to be one winner. "I've been practising, hanging out, living life," she giggled when asked of her preparations. "I was just a little rusty out there but at times I was my old self.

"I was rushing and then I realised 'Venus, slow down and you'll be OK'. You know, I didn't expect to be 100% in this match but next match I'll be 150%."

First round results

9-Lindsay Davenport (US) beat Camille Pin (France) 6-2, 6-1

Ansley Cargill (US) beat Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 6-1, 6-2

Evie Dominikovic (Australia) beat Barbara Rittner (Germany) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4

Vanessa Webb (Canada) beat Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (Spain) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3

30-Janette Husarova (Slovakia) beat Maria Emilia Salerni (Argentina) 6-3, 6-0

27-Lisa Raymond (U.S.) beat Lindsay Lee-Waters (U.S.) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3

2-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 6-4, 6-2

7-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Fabiola Zuluaga (Colombia) 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4

15-Alexandra Stevenson (U.S.) beat Elena Baltacha (Britain) 6-1, 6-4

Adriana Serra Zanetti (Italy) beat Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 7-6 (8-6), 6-4

Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Dinara Safina (Russia) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

24-Tatiana Panova (Russia) beat Angelika Roesch (Romania) 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-2

Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) beat Cara Black (Zimbabwe) 6-3, 6-0

Virginie Razzano (France) beat Jill Craybas (U.S.) 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 6-1

Anna Kournikova (Russia) beat Henrieta Nagyova (Slovakia) 6-1, 6-2

Akiko Morigami (Japan) beat Stanislava Hrozenska (Slovakia) 6-2, 6-1

23-Paola Suarez (Argentina) beat Dally Randriantefy (Madagascar) 6-4, 6-3

5-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) beat Myriam Casanova (Switzerland) 6-3, 6-4

21-Ai Sugiyama (Japan) beat Angelique Widjaja (Indonesia) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Greta Arn (Germany) 6-2, 6-1

Tathiana Garbin (Italy) beat Rachel McQuillan (Australia) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)