By Etienne Stekelenburg
September 1 2004

Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova had to fight her way back into the match to overcome an early upset against Laura Granville, golden medal winner Justine Henin-Hardenne had to find her game after coming back from Athens and Anastasia Myskina steamrollered past Ludmilla Cervanova. No. 7 seed and Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova from Russia found herself in a fierce battle against American Laura Granville. The American was ready to upset the young Russian and determent to make it to the second round. After being tied one all in sets Sharapova suddenly found her game and fought herself back into the match.

The Russian put herself back into the match after slapping herself on the leg and talking to herself for encouragement. It did pay off in the third when she breaks at 5 all in games. Just in time she found a way out and move into round two 6-3, 5-7, 7-5. Sharapova will meet Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the second round.

Justine Henin-Hardenne, the Belgian Olympic gold medal holder, said she had some trouble adjusting to the atmosphere and surface of New York’s Flushing Meadows. Although she only needed 17 minutes to win the first set, she said she lost focus in the second. First time Grand Slam player Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic might have been thinking she had a chance in the second set. She was able to play longer rallies and breaks Henin-Hardenne’s serve twice, holding a 4-1 lead in the second set.

This was the wake up call for the Belgian No.1. She was focused again and won all the following games. Vaidisova started to make unforced error giving Henin-Hardenne the chance to get back into the match and winning the second set 6-4. Just under the hour Justine Henin-Hardenne secured her way into the second round winning 6-1, 6-4. Justine Henin-Hardenne will have another warm up match against Tzipora Obziler of Israel in the next round.

Russian candidate for the Championship Anastasia Myskina had a fast and easy first round meeting with Ludmilla Cervanova of Slovakia. The number 3 of the world hardly had to put up any sweat to win this match. What looked like an early morning practise match was over in 42 minutes. Myskina even got away with a low 38 first serve percentage.

Myskina’s next opponent will be her compatriot Anna Chakvetadze who eliminated Barbara Schett of Austria.

More results:

Jill Craybas (USA) d. Tina Pisnik (SLO) 62 61(1)
Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) d. (Q) Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) 61 64
Q) Tzipora Obziler (ISR) d. (Q) Angelique Widjaja (INA) 75 63
Lisa Raymond (USA) d. Alina Jidkova (RUS) 75 63
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. (25) Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) 76(3) 63
(Q) Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) d. Barbara Schett (AUT) 16 64 62
(26) Elena Bovina (RUS) d. Marta Marrero (ESP) 63 60
Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) d. Melinda Czink (HUN) 64 62
(27) Mary Pierce (FRA) d. Emilie Loit (FRA) 61 62
(20) Chanda Rubin (USA) d. Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) 62 62
(4) Anastasia Myskina (RUS) d. Ludmila Cervanova (SVK) 61 60
Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 75 64
Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) d. (24) Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi (ISR) 36 64 61
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) d. Tatiana Panova (RUS) 63 62
(14) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Jie Zheng (CHN) 60 61
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Barbora Strycova (CZE) 75 63
(5) Lindsay Davenport (USA) d. Lubomira Kurhajcova (SVK) 64 60
Kristina Brandi (PUR) d. Milagros Sequera (VEN) 61 62
(Q) Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA) d. Mashona Washington (USA) 75 75
(29) Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) d. Silvija Talaja (CRO) 36 63 75
(21) Amy Frazier (USA) d. (WC) Kelly McCain (USA) 62 62
(19) Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) d. (Q) Abigail Spears (USA) 36 62 64
(9) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (Q) Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL) 62 60
Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) d. Marlene Weingartner (GER) 62 76
(5)Nicole Pratt (AUS) d. Catalina Castano (COL) 36 61 63
Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) d. (WC) Alexandra Stevenson (USA) 64 75
Dally Randriantefy (MAD) d. (WC) Jessica Kirkland (USA) 64 64
Jelena Jankovic (SCG) d. (LL) Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 63 64
(13) Paola Suarez (ARG) d. (Q) Nan-Nan Liu (CHN) 61 75
(7) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Laura Granville (USA) 63 57 75
(11) Venus Williams (USA) d. Petra Mandula (HUN) 63 76(3)
(Q) Shikha Uberoi (USA) d. Saori Obata (JPN) 63 36 75