Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo wasted no time advancing to the second round at Wimbledon, sweeping Croatian qualifier Ivana Abramovic 6-0, 6-0 yesterday in just 39 minutes.
The Frenchwoman lost only 17 points against the 192nd-ranked Abramovic, who was playing in her first Grand Slam match.
Mauresmo, a semifinalist at Wimbledon the last three years, dropped just four points on her own serve and held at love in five of six service games. The 22-year-old Abramovic committed 13 unforced errors, including four double faults.
Mauresmo's shot of the match came as she closed out the first set with a soft forehand half-volley lob that floated over Abravoic's head for a winner.
Yesterday's schedule was also featured Venus Williams opening defense of her women's title against Bethanie Mattek. As defending champion, Williams normally would have played the first match on Center Court on Tuesday, but the match was pushed back because of the rain delays that washed out most of Monday's action.
Maria Sharapova, the 2004 champion, was paired against Anna Smashnova. Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne -- who all won in straight sets Tuesday -- were also scheduled for second-round matches.
On the men's side, three-time defending champion Roger Federer was due up late in the day against Britain's Tim Henman. Two-time runner-up Andy Roddick and 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt never got on court Tuesday, and were due back to face Janko Tipsarevic and Filippo Volandri, respectively.
Andre Agassi, meanwhile, is trying not to let emotions get the better of him during his 14th and final Wimbledon.
"I don't need this championship to give me any more than it's given me," the 36-year-old former champion said after a four-set opening round victory on Centre Court. "It's already given me so much."
Agassi won the first of his eight Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 1992, surprising the established grass-court order by beating the serve-and-volleyers with his baseline game.
Troubled by chronic back problems, Agassi announced last weekend that he will retire from tennis after the US Open in September.
Always a crowd favorite at the All England Club, he drew an even longer and louder ovation than usual before and after Tuesday's 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 win over Boris Pashanski. In a normal year, the first-round victory would barely have caused a ripple. However, this one took on special meaning for Agassi and the fans.
"You expect to be overwhelmed with the whole situation anyhow, regardless of just how warmly you're embraced," he said. "But then to feel that sort of support, it just meant the world to me. I just wanted to do 'em proud. So I got a little nervous about trying too hard early, overhit a lot. Took me a while to settle down."
Agassi appeared to have some trouble with his back late in the fourth set, but didn't want to talk about his health. Getting through several tough matches on grass won't be easy.
"I've had years where I have felt better," he said. "Sort of don't want to harp on any of the negatives. This is a challenge for me in more ways than I probably ever communicate about."
Agassi had yesterday off, but others had to come back for a second straight day of play -- including the featured second-round match between Federer and Henman.
Federer, bidding to become the third player in the Open era to win four straight titles, looked at the top of his game Tuesday when he swept France's Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
It was Federer's 42nd straight win on grass, surpassing the mark he shared with Bjorn Borg. The Swede won 41 straight from 1976-1981.
Henman, a four-time Wimbledon semifinalist, overcame Sweden's Robin Soderling, 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. The British player is unseeded.
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