Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo has led a charge of the seeded brigade on Day One of Australian Open on Monday, finding herself surrounded by a posse of Russians.

Mauresmo began her title defence in fine style on Rod Laver Arena with a straight 6-3, 6-4 victory over American Shenay Perry, setting up a second-round clash with Russia's world No. 38 Olga Poutchkova, who outplayed Pole Marta Domachowska 6-2, 6-4 to advance.

A total of six Russian women muscled their way into the second round of the tournament, along with glamorous Czech Nicole Vaidisova and Serbian star Jelena Jankovic.

Mauresmo and her opponent exchanged breaks of serve early in the first set before the Frenchwoman found her range against the 22-year-old Perry to make it 1-0.

The French star then found herself losing concentration after she broke serve again in the second set first to make it 5-1, which allowed Perry to win three games in a row.

The second seeded player, however, stayed calm to serve out for the match to love.

"It was some good moments and some (not so good) moments, especially at the end to finish off the match where my mind went out a little bit," Mauresmo said.

"I thought I lost some intensity, some aggression, in the end where I probably should have closed it out a little bit quicker, but that's the way it is.

"It's the first match, the first round here."

Mauresmo, the world No. 2, was satisfied with her first match performance.

"A few things, especially the serve, to work on for the next match and probably some rhythm a little bit, but overall I thought it was a good first match," she said.

"There was no added pressure, I felt ready to go on court today right from the first day and defend the title."

The Russian syndicate was headed by third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova who turned West Australian teenager Jessica Moore's grand slam debut dream into a nightmare.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, dealt out a 6-2, 6-0 beating to the promising 16-year-old.

Elena Dementieva, the seventh seed, had earlier blazed a pathway through to the second round when she swamped Frenchwoman Stephanie Foretz 6-1, 6-2.

Fifth seed Nadia Petrova cut down the defence of Thai Tamarine Tanasugam with a 6-3, 6-2 victory, while Maria Kirilenko, seeded 26th, overcame a slow start to beat Croatian Karolina Sprem 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Vaidisova, the Czech 10th seed, ousted American Jill Craybas 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 while Jankovic beat Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-3, 6-3.

Two-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams also eased into the second round with a straight sets victory over the 27th seed Mara Santange.

Williams, whose miserable last season was marred by a serious knee injury, took just over an hour to outplay the Italian 6-2, 6-1.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2007)
?