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EASTBOURNE, England : Unfancied qualifier Vera Douchevina stunned Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 6-4 to send the former Wimbledon semi-finalist crashing out at the 585,000-dollar Eastbourne Championships.
Douchevina, ranked 54th with four previous matches this week thanks to qualifying and a first-round win, took advantage of the sluggish form of the French top seed.
"She was playing better than me today, I played a very, very bad match on the court. I was hoping that in my first match on grass I would have better rhythm than today," said Mauresmo, 27-8 on the season.
"I don't want to analyze this match - I just want to forget it."
Mauresmo said that her immediate plans include a day of practise in Eastbourne before heading to the All England club with a few days of hard graft looming.
"I still need to work on that a lot. I have to find my timing on this surface.
"There's not much to say. I had a pretty bad match, they happen a few times per year."
Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded second, had an only slightly better day, surviving qualifier Anna Chakvetadze 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).
The fight-back victory boosted Kuznetsova to an opening win on grass after ending her clay season in the fourth round of the French Open.
"I've been used to clay, this is my first grass match of the season. I've had just two days on the surface.
"I don't know how to hit the shots anymore. When you have the mentality of the clay court, you don't put the balls back.
"The main thing was: I wasn't used to it."
Fourth seed Anastasia Myskina battled the distance to take out Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-4, 5-7, 6-0, claiming a first win in more than two months.
"I'm so happy," said the 2004 French Open champion and 2002 Eastbourne finalist. "My game was good, I'm just very happy for the next match.
"I've trained hard here since last Thursday, the weather was great then, and I had a lot of chances to hit the ball."
Italian Roberta Vinci took advantage of match fitness from qualifying, notching an upset over Russian fifth seed Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).
French eighth seed Nathalie Dechy beat American Amy Frazier 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, joining compatriot Marion Bartoli, who defeated another American, Lisa Raymond, 6-3, 6-4.
Ailing Australian Alicia Molik faced up to the reality of the inner ear infection which has plagued her since April, withdrawing from Wimbledon to concentrate on recovery.
The Eastbourne third seed was replaced in the draw by American Mashona Washington, who defeated Virginie Razzano of France 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. - AFP /dt
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