Tennis: Teen topples fourth seed

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Last year, Ashley Harkleroad could not get a start even in qualifying in Auckland or any other of three tournaments she entered in this part of the world.

What a difference a year has made.

With seeded players crashing all around her, the American teenager enjoyed her day in the sun and the biggest win of her career at the ASB Classic today.

Playing fourth seed and former winner Anne Kremer (Luxembourg), 17-year-old Harkleroad needed just an hour to win 6-3, 6-0 and book a second-round clash with unseeded Swiss Emmanuelle Gagliardi.

"Right now she [Kremer] is the highest-ranked player I have beaten," Harkleroad said. "On Monday [in her last-round qualifying match against American Sarah Taylor] I lost concentration, but had an opportunity to come back.

"Today I was determined not to let things slip.

"My coach and I talked about staying focused. I went on to play one of the best matches of my life."

Some other players could not say the same.

Slovakian seventh-seed and world No 33 Janette Husarova barely raised a yelp, bowing out 1-6, 2-6 in just 56 minutes to Classic regular Cara Black, of Zimbabwe.

Black, beaten finalist in 2000 - the same year she and Alex Fusai won the doubles - raced to 5-0, dropping but a handful of points.

The second set was just as easy as the diminutive Black won the last four games, breaking Husarova twice, to book a second-round clash with promising American Laura Granville.

The incentive of a slice (or two) of cheesecake was enough for second seed (and the world's 22nd-ranked player) Greek Eleni Daniilidou to see off Japanese qualifier Shinobu Asagoe.

Resisting offers of a cold beer or an ice cream after her 65-minute centre court battle in the heat, Daniilidou said her coach, Lars Wahleren, had promised her cheesecake if she won.

That was rarely in doubt.

She was well in command in racing to 4-0. Asagoe fought back bravely, breaking the Greek No 1 twice for 3-4 before dropping her own serve.

The second set was again dominated by Daniilidou, who will now play Germany's Martina Muller.

"Even as the second seed, I don't feel any pressure," 20-year-old Daniilidou said.

"I tried to play every point the best I could.

"Of course, it was not my best tennis out there today. It is early in the season and it is tough to find your rhythm.

"It will be hard against Martina. She is a good player and a friend of mine. We have practised together, but not played each other in a match."

New Zealand's participation ended this evening when Kiwi No 1 Shelley Stephens and her German partner, Vanessa Henke, were beaten in the first round of the doubles by Muller and Australian Catherine Barclay in three sets, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Amid all the carnage, top seed and defending champion Anna Pistolesi overcame a tentative start to beat fellow Israeli Tzipora Obziler 6-4, 6-3 in the day's opening match.

Obziler broke Pistolesi to love in the opening game, came back from 0-40 to win the second and took the third - again to love - for an unlikely 3-0 lead over a player ranked 130 places higher.

In a match which then settled into a baseline battle, Pistolesi fought back to break her older opponent twice, including the 10th game to love for 6-4.

The top seed needed just 31 minutes to take the second set.

Pistolesi's centre-court clash with Russian Elena Likhovtseva promises to be one of tomorrow's features.

The other big clash will be the battle of doubles partners Mary Pierce and fifth seed Paola Suarez, who yesterday needed just 40 minutes to thrash Italian Maria Camerin 6-1, 6-0.

There will also be some interest in the early back-court clash between unseeded Vera Zvonareva (who put out third seed Tatiana Panova) and German Anca Barna. The pair are within 17 places on WTA rankings.

The evening session will feature a doubles clash between Pierce/Suarez and Russians Alina Jidkova and Tatiana Panova.