KEY POINTS:
The good and the bad of women's professional tennis was on display at Auckland yesterday.
Former world No 1 Lindsay Davenport lived up to her billing with a classy 6-2, 6-3 demolition of fellow American Laura Granville.
And unseeded Russian Anastassia Rodionova lived up to her reputation as an erratic personality, bursting into floods of tears on several occasions before eventually withdrawing when trailing 6-0, 3-0 to 2005 champion Katarina Srebotnik.
The Rodionova camp blamed an eye problem for her bizarre display but the 25-year-old has form when it comes to tennis brattishness. Earlier this year she became the second player in tour history to be defaulted for unsportsmanlike conduct after hitting a ball into a group of spectators at a tournament in Cincinnati.
Her 2007 season also included injury-enforced retirements due to knee, hand and illness issues.
"It was a strange game," Srebotnik said. "I was actually hoping to get a bit of a closer match. On the other hand, I am happy with the way I played. I kept my focus. Obviously she was having some problems."
Davenport pronounced herself happy with her form after overpowering Granville.
"It is always tough to come out and play perfectly so there are some things I want to work on. But to play pretty solid and start the year off on the right foot is a good thing," she said.
Sixth seed Tamira Paszek was given a brief scare by Belgian Yanina Wickmayer before progressing in straight sets. The hard-serving Wickmayer took the first set to a tiebreaker but rather fell apart after losing it 8-6.
In other first round matches, Frenchwoman Emilie Lott was the first of the seeds to depart. The eighth seed was beaten 6-4, 6-1 by American Ashley Harkleroad.
Fifth seed Anabel Medina Garrigues set up a second round clash with Davenport tomorrow after cruising past Australian veteran Nicole Pratt 7-6, 6-3.
New Zealand number one Marina Erakovic began her tournament with a doubles victory alongside Michaella Krajicek, the former US Junior Open-winning tandem dispatching Sacha Jones and Asha Rolle 6-2, 7-5.
Today sees more Kiwis in action, with Erakovic taking on Ellen Barry and Jones up against first seed Vera Zvonareva.
* TODAY'S SCHEDULE
SOVEREIGN SINGLES
All from 11am. Prefix numbers denote seeds
First round, centre court.-
(q) Elena Baltacha (GBR) v (7) Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) followed by, (1) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) v (wc) Sacha Jones (NZL), Sara Errani (ITA) v (4) Michaella Krajicek (NED), (wc) Marina Erakovic (NZL) v (wc) Ellen Barry (NZL), followed by (not before 7pm), Kaia Kanepi (EST) v (2) Maria Kirilenko (RUS).
Court four, (q) Vesna Manasieva (RUS) v Pauline Parmentier (FRA), (q) Shuai Zhang (CHN) v Aravane Rezai (FRA), Camille Pin (FRA) v Martina Muller (GER), Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) v (q) Ahsha Rolle (USA).
SOVEREIGN DOUBLES First round, court six (from 11am), Anastasia Rodionova (RUS)/Arina Rodionova (RUS) v (2) Laura Granville (USA)/Vladimira Ulanova (CZE), Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)/Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG) v (3) Catalina Castano (COL)/Tiantian Sun (CHN), (1) Emilie Loit (FRA)/Meilen Tu (USA) v Ayumi Morita (JPN)/Junri Namigata (JPN), (4) Daniilidou/Jasmin Woehr (GER) v Ashley Harkleroad (USA)/Akiko Origami (JPN) followed by (not before 4pm), Andreja Klepac (SLO)/Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) v Jorgelina Cravero (ARG)/Sara Errani (ITA).
Centre court (last match, not before 8pm), Mariya Koryttseva (UKR)/Lilia Osterloh (USA) v Klaudia Jans (POL)/Alicja Rosolska (POL).
