Australian Open Day One

By Chris Davies
January 17 2005

Australian Open favourite and seventh seed Serena Williams, US Open Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova all advanced but seeds did fall on day one of the first major of 2005

Williams faced France's Camille Pin who failed to hold her own serve during the match but did break the Americans twice. Due to the abdominal strain Serena sustained last year a lot of pace has been taken off her service action but not on her groundstrokes hammering the ball all over the court making winners. Dressed in a very stylish tutu style dress she moved easily but was still a little rusty winning 6-1, 6-1.

Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova put behind a drug accusation to thrash Jessica Kirkland of USA 6-1, 6-1 and looks in relatively good form. Kuznetsova is one of 3 players to be accused of drug cheating along with Elena Dementieva and Nathalie Dechy, all deny the claim.

Maria Sharapova was not overall impressive in her first round match against 15 year old Karantcheva but did enough to advance into the second round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Seeds to fall include Ai Sugiyama who is yet to win a match this year losing to Slovakia's Martina Sucha in straight forward fashion 7-5, 6-4. Mary Pierce the 24th seed went out to fellow French lady Stephanie Cohen-Aloro 6-2, 6-2 and 30th seed Flavia Pennetta was ousted by Hungarian Petra Mandula 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.