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Hantuchova breezes past Argentine at China Open

Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova eased into round two of the China Open yesterday.

Hantuchova, the seventh seed, had little trouble disposing of Argentina’s Gisela Dulko in straight sets. In blustery conditions on the sparsely populated stadium court, the 25-year-old former world No. 5 won 6-3, 6-1.

The win for Hantuchova followed a win for Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues over Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, also in straight sets.

Serbians Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic are seeded one and two in Beijing.

World No. 2 Jankovic said yesterday she feels no extra pressure due to her lack of a Grand Slam trophy, as the chase for the top spot in the women’s game continues at the China Open.

The women’s top ranking has been in flux since Justine Henin’s surprise retirement in May, passing between Maria Sharapova, Ivanovic, Jankovic and current No. 1 Serena Williams.

“I don’t have to prove to anybody or any media about my ability, except to myself. I am only 23 years old, still young, and I have entered Grand Slam finals,” Jankovic said.

The US Open finalist, who briefly reached the No. 1 ranking last month, said it was good to see change at the top of the women’s game.

“All players are outstanding on court, and I will try my best to finish my job, to play tennis,” said Jankovic, who lost in last year’s final in Beijing to Hungary’s Agnes Szavay.

Meanwhile, French Open winner and former world No. 1 Ivanovic said injury had hampered her game over the past few months.

“I couldn’t even hold my racket. I think every player needs to face injury in their career,” said Ivanovic, who suffered a shock second round defeat at Flushing Meadows and has now slipped to No. 4 in the world.

“What I need to do is keep a positive attitude. I need to give myself time to get back,”

New world No. 3 Dinara Safina, who captured the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Sunday, withdrew from the China Open due to injury.

Safina pulled out because of a lower back injury, organizers said yesterday.

The in-form 22-year-old beat compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Sunday and had been third seed for the US$600,000 tournament in Beijing.

Safina hurt her back during the Japan event and her match against Kuznetsova had “worsened her injury a lot,” organizers said in a statement.

“After consideration, Safina chose to quit the China Open 2008,” the statement said.

The 2008 French Open finalist was among six of the world’s top 10 players to enter the tournament, although Serena Williams did not make the trip for the Beijing event that finishes on Sunday.

Safina says she is striving to follow in the footsteps of her Grand Slam champion brother Marat, as she climbs up the rankings toward the top spot he once held on the men’s tennis tour.

Her victory on Sunday marked her ninth tournament win since her first victory in 2002 at Sopot as a 16-year-old qualifier.

Her brother, Marat Safin, won the US Open in 2000 and reached the top of the ATP rankings in November that year. He also won the Australian Open in 2005.

Meanwhile, on the men’s side of the draw in Beijing, defending champion Fernando Gonzalez of Chile faces a tough battle to retain his title, with top seed David Ferrer and Andy Roddick in the hunt.

Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun won his first round clash yesterday against Xu Junchao of China, 6-4, 6-3.
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