Shock for Smashnova

By Chris Davies
February 4 2003

French wild card Stephanie Cohen Aloro caused the first upset of the Paris Indoor Open when she beat seventh seed Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi in straight sets.

The world number 121 dismissed her 15th-ranked opponent 6-3, 6-2 at the Pierre de Coubertin stadium on Monday.

Smashnova-Pistolesi admitted she had been surprised by Cohen Aloro on the 19-year-old's first appearance in the main draw at her home tournament.

"She hit the ball very hard, came to the net a lot and made the vollies, which is very unusual for a woman.

"There are not many girls with a big serve," she said.

Top seed Serena Williams has a first-round bye and will meet the winner of the match between Switzerland's Myriam Casanova and Austrian Barbara Schett.


Seventh seed Angelique Widjaja had to come from a set down to avoid a first round upset from the first Indian WTA tournament in Hyderabad.

The Indonesian rallied to beat Croatia's Jelena Kostanic 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Spanish sixth seed Cristina Torrens-Valero enjoyed an easier passage into round two, beating South Korea's Jeon Mi-ra 7-5, 6-0.