Rough start

Kournikova has to fight back from early hole in Paris

PARIS (AP) -- Anna Kournikova struggled through three sets before eliminating unseeded Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4 Tuesday in the first round of the Gaz de France tournament.

Kournikova, whose ranking has dropped to No. 86, needed more than 2 hours to win.

"This is a tournament I've usually done well in," Kournikova said. "I'm very happy to have gotten through this first round."

Meilen Tu advanced to a second-round match against top-seeded Venus Williams when her scheduled opening opponent, Henrieta Nagyova, withdrew with a wrist injury. Williams had a first-round bye.

Also Tuesday, 2000 U.S. Open semifinalist Elena Dementieva beat fellow Russian Elena Bovina 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Dementieva next plays Greta Arn, who defeated Elena Likhovtseva 6-3, 6-4.

Francesca Schiavone beat Marlene Weingartner 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Daniela Hantuchova topped Magdalena Maleeva straight sets, and Cristina Torrens Valero rallied to beat Patty Schnyder 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Sixth-seeded Sandrine Testud pulled out Monday with a neck injury.

 

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