Davenport wins in her first Key Biscayne appearance in five years
Lindsay Davenport played at Key Biscayne for the first time in five years and needed only an hour to eliminate Camille Pin 6-2, 6-1. Second-seeded Ana Ivanovic beat Emelie Loit 6-1, 6-2 and advanced to a third-round match Sunday against Davenport.
It will be the first meeting between Ivanovic, 20, and Davenport, 31.
"I have to approach it as if it's a final," Ivanovic said. "Growing up I saw her winning in Grand Slams, and she's such a great player and great champion. So I expect a very tough match."
The final match of the second round ended after midnight, and No. 4-seeded Jelena Jankovic rallied to beat Sofia Arvidsson 6-7 (7), 6-2, 7-6 (9). In the third set, Jankovic overcame a 5-1 deficit, then saved five match points in the tiebreaker.
Davenport, seeded 32nd, lost just six service points in her successful return to Key Biscayne. Injuries, an aversion to the island's windy weather and a pregnancy last year kept her away.
"I would have never thought that five years ago would have been my last time I played here," she said. "But I have to say I've really enjoyed myself so far this year. I was excited when I got back out on that court. It's a great, great center court."
Davenport left the WTA Tour in late 2006 to have her first child. The three-time Grand Slam champion rejoined the tour last summer and is 16-3 this year, with two titles.
She needed only an hour to beat Pin.
"I was kind of trying to get used to the conditions out there," Davenport said. "For here it's a pretty calm day, but it's still a steady breeze going one way. But I was happy to get off the court relatively fast and pretty efficient."
No. 5 Anna Chakvetadze reached the third round by beating Tamira Paszek 6-3, 6-2. No. 7 Daniela Hantuchova and No. 10 Elena Dementieva also won. Seeded players had first-round byes.
No. 12 Nicole Vaidisova lost to qualifier Alisa Kleybanova 6-4, 6-0. No. 14 Nadia Petrova retired in the first set against Zheng Jie because of a strained thigh.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report
