Elena Dementieva put up a ferocious display of strokes, and a reasoble amount of first serves, to comprehensively put away french Stephanie Foretz.
After breaking serve right away in the first game, Dementieva held her own and after allowing Foretz to hold serve once, she never looked back again in the first set rallying through 5 consecutive games, claiming the first set 6-1 and starting the second with a 1-0 lead. Foretz still managed to claim a second games in a row to lead 2-1. But Dementieva was only heating up and before one could tell the score was 5-2 and 30-40 on Foretz serve. Dementieva then held firm and clinched her first win of this year’s Australian Open, in exactly one hour.
Awaiting Dementieva in the second round is german Martina Muller. Muller, ranked 36 in the world, sailed through her first match blowing past Jorgelina Cravero of Argentina at the expense of only three games in a 6-0, 6-3 route. Dementieva and Muller have squared off once before, with the Russian running away with the win, in a Fed Cup tie back in 2002, by 6-4, 6-2.
In doubles action Dementieva has once again reunited with Flavia Pennetta and will certainly look forward to getting some more rounds under their belts as compared to last year, when they lost to Jie Zheng and Zi Ya, the eventual winners. This year they can face the chinese duo again, in the same stage, the third round. In the first roun the Russian/Italian team will face 100% Japanese team of Akiko Morigami and Aiko Nakamura. Dementieva/Pennetta are seeded 14th.
On other news for Monday, Amelie Mauresmo secure a second round berth, staying alive to defend her title, over american Shenay Perry. Serena Williams comprehensively defeated Mara Santangelo in straight sets, as well as Jelena Jankovic who continued her convincing run so far this year. Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova also advanced, as well as french Tatiana Golovin and Nicole Vaidisova.
