Mauresmo Overpowers Japanese No. 1
(Jan 10th 2000 - Sydney)

Amelie Mauresmo, the surprise French star of last year’s women’s circuit, today struggled to contain Ai Sugiyama, eventually beating the Japanese No. 1 in a nail-biting tie break in the third set after more than two and a half hours.

Mauresmo, who reached the final of last year's Australian Open and ended 1999 as world No. 10, admitted that she should have finished-off her opponent in straight sets, but was suffering from a lack of recent matches. The final score was 6-7, 6-0, 7-6. “I haven’t played for over two weeks. I’ve been practicing all the time, but there’s a world of difference between practice and proper matches.

All the same, it’s just great to get a good result from the first match of the year.” The 175-cm tall Frenchwoman said that she had found it hard to find her rhythm and timing. The new tour rules for changing ends at different points in the match also threw her, she said, but added that towards the end of the third set she had regained a lot of confidence.

Sugiyama, ranked 24 in the world, won the first set on a tie break, 7-2, but appeared to lose concentration in the second, losing 6-0. However the 5 ft 4 inch Japanese hopeful regained her form from the first set in the third, outwitting Mauresmo’s powerful serves and ground strokes with a succession of accurate, wide shots. Following the match, Sugiyama said that it was her serve that ultimately let her down.

Mauresmo, who was derided by both press and players at last year’s Wimbledon Championships for her masculine physique, served an average of 25 kmph faster than her opponent, a factor which was integral in her 7-5 victory in the final tie break. “I’ve been having problems with my back, which wasn’t helped by the fact that I was trying a different serve. In the end I was beaten by the serve,” said Sugiyama.

Mauresmo, who won her first WTA Tour singles title last October in Bratislava, said she has been concentrating less on increasing her power over the past few months, and more on her aerobic fitness. She has also been looking at techniques for injury prevention after having had to take time out of the circuit twice last year with a sprained ankle and thigh muscle problems. “Who could have predicted that I would do as well as I did last year? I just hope it continues this year,” she said. In the second round Mauresmo is due to play either Croatian Silvija Talaja or one of the women’s qualifiers.