Mauresmo needs three sets to win first-round match
EASTBOURNE, England -- Amelie Mauresmo held off a strong challenge to defeat sixth-seeded Alize Cornet 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 in an all-French matchup at the Eastbourne International on Monday.
Mauresmo, the 2006 Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, dominated the opening set of the first-round match with some impressive backhand volleys and a succession of errors from Cornet.
But the 18-year-old Cornet settled down in the second set. With Mauresmo struggling to put the ball away in many rallies, Cornet broke to lead 4-3.
Mauresmo had to fight off two break points at the beginning of the third set but broke for the match when Cornet sent the ball long.
"The way I played in the first set was great," Mauresmo said. "I didn't keep that level up. I started to play a little bit more from the baseline and not being as aggressive as I was at the beginning. That put her back into the match and things got a little bit more even."
In other first-round matches, fifth-seeded Victoria Azarenka retired with a left knee injury after losing the opening set 6-2 against Aravane Rezai. Also, eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova defeated Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2; Gisela Dulko beat Tathiana Garbin 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Samantha Stosur ousted Katie O'Brien 6-4, 6-3; and Li Na overcame Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 6-4.
Svetlana Kuznetsova, Marion Bartoli, Vera Zvonareva and Agnieszka Radwanska all have a bye into the second round.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
