KEY POINTS:
Two big names successfully blew away the holiday cobwebs when they made their entrances at the Auckland international tournament yesterday.
Top seed, Serbian Jelena Jankovic, beat Germany's Julia Schruff in straight sets, but had to stretch herself in the second, while third seed Daniela Hantuchova removed Slovak compatriot Dominika Cibulkova, but only after dropping a set.
Both big guns made the point that the wind didn't help and that first-up matches are tricky, but the main thing is they're still alive in the ASB Classic.
So is fifth seed Russian Vera Zvonareva, who dropped her opening set against American qualifier Lilia Osterloh before easing through 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
The same can't be said for sixth seed German Martina Muller as she became the third seed to be eliminated in the first round, beaten in three sets by Argentina's popular Paola Suarez.
Jankovic was a late arrival in Auckland and stepped on court barely 24 hours after arriving from Europe. She got rough with Schruff in the first set, and at 5-1 in the second it looked a doddle. But Schruff, cleverly using a backhand drop to keep Jankovic on the move, battled back to 5-4 before going down.
Jankovic moved impressively round the court, worked some sharp angles and at times looked a class act. She was happy to get her year started and on the right note: "I felt good. It was quite difficult, especially in the windy conditions, but I was excited to play my first match of the year."
The world No 12 is eyeing a spot in the top 10 by year's end and, with second seed Russian Anastasia Myskina already gone, her chances of starting 2007 with a title are bright.
She has been working on her fitness and strength to enhance her chances of making that jump to the elite group, but as she admitted, "some things don't happen overnight".
And she's wary of several players left in the field. "There's so many really good players here. The field is quite strong, and not only the seeds."
Hantuchova would certainly rate herself a danger to Jankovic, as they are now on target to meet in Saturday's final. Yesterday was Hantuchova's first clash with her countrywoman. Hantuchova is world No 17 and 23, Cibulkova is No 153 and 17, but the younger player made a fool of the gulf in the numbers with a spirited display.
Hantuchova waltzed through the first set, but lost the second. When she regained her control it was all over for Cibulkova, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2. "She was moving well, she hit solid ground strokes. She has a good future," Hantuchova said of her Fed Cup teammate. And Hantuchova expects to get past French qualifier Virginie Razzano today, which is no surprise seeing as head-to-head it's 3-0 to the tall, slim Slovak. "If I can play my game I am quite confident about it, but I'll have to play a bit better than today."
Muller won the first set against Suarez, but then won only two of the next 14 games.
Suarez, the former world No 1 doubles player, who is heading for retirement at the end of the year, said "passion" won it for her. With the clock ticking on her career, she's relishing every outing.
She faces hard-hitting Tiantian Sun, China's Olympic doubles gold medallist, today.
Austrian Yvonne Meusburger and Razzano kept the qualifiers' flag flying with wins yesterday. Meusburger cleaned out Russian Ekaterina Bychkova and Razzano beat Estonia's Kaia Kanepi, also in straight sets. And late last night American Jill Craybas was first into the quarter-finals, beating Argentina's Gisela Dulko 6-3, 7-5.
TODAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre court, from 11am:
4-M. Bartoli (France) v E. Loit (France), followed by WC-M. Erakovic (NZ) v 7-E.Daniilidou (Greece), followed by 1-J. Jankovic (Serbia) v E. Laine (Finland), followed by Q-V. Razzano (France) v 3-D. Hantuchova (Slovakia), followed by 5-V. Zvonareva (Russia) v L. Granville (US).
Court 4, from noon:
P. Suarez (Argentina) v T. Sun (China), followed by Q-Y. Meusburger (Austria) v C. Pin (France), followed by S. Sun/T. Sun (China) v L. Baker (NZ)/N. Kriz (Australia).
Court 6, from 1pm:
Su-Wei Hsieh (Taipei)/S. Uberoi (India) v G. Dulko (Argentina)/M. Tu (US), followed by (but not before 4pm), E. Birnerova (Czech Republic)/J. Craybas (US) v Jankovic/T. Krizan (Slovenia).
