Posted on 01/15/2003 11:57:48 AM PST by socal_parrot
Anna Kournikova's Australian Open campaign ended in humbling fashion at the hands of fifth-seeded Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne in the second round in Melbourne.
The Russian produced an abject performance as she went down 6-0 6-1 in just 48 minutes, with one serve bouncing before it reached the net.
Kournikova hurried away from the scene of her heaviest Grand Slam defeat, but returned later to face the press and tried to look on the defeat with good humour.
"We were both on the court...I think it was a match," she said. "I really had no weapons against her today. I tried to find a way...but it was too hard."
Henin-Hardenne, who described the victory as 'amazing', will face Katarina Srebotnik in the third round.
Kournikova's main rival for the title of tennis glamour girl - Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova - had more luck, edging past Italian Adriana Serra Zanetti 7-6 7-6 to reach the third round and set up a clash with home hope Samantha Stosur.
Another crowd favourite, Australian Nicole Pratt, easily beat number 13 seed Silvia Farina-Elia 6-3 6-2, whil other seeds to fall were Ai Sugiyama of Japan, Janette Husarova of Slovakia, Americans Lisa Raymond and Alexandra Stevenson and Anne Kremer of Luxembourg.
But there were no such problems for ninth-seeded Lindsey Davenport, who survived the loss of the first set to overcome Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan 6-7 (7-9) 6-4 7-5.
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