Tennis: Vaidisova blasts into second round
Posted: 07 February 2007 0513 hrs

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PARIS : Teenage sensation Nicole Vaidisova thrashed home favourite Aravane Rezai to stride into the second round of the 600,000-dollar Paris Indoor Open.

Vaidisova needed just 50 minutes to wrap up a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 victory that was sealed in style with a searing ace.

The 17-year-old Czech, who started the season in fine form with a run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, simply had too much power for 19-year-old Rezai, the daughter of Iranian immigrants.

The only previous meeting between the pair took place at last season's Roland Garros and Rezai benefited from the slower surface to force a third set before going down 6-1, 6-7, 6-0.

But on the faster indoor surface, the wildly erratic Rezai had no answer to Vaidisova's consistent power and booming serves.

The Czech next faces Lucie Safarova who gained a measure of revenge on teenage Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova with a tough 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 first round victory.

A year ago the pair also met in the first round, their only previous meeting, with Pironkova dominating the final set for a 6-2, 2-6, 6-0 victory.

This match ebbed and flowed with break points aplenty despite only two being converted.

Pironkova had ample opportunities to take a decisive advantage early in the third set but having wasted several chances, the Bulgarian was broken at 2-3 and Czech Safarova comfortably served out the match.

With her confidence high, she even pulled off a delightful drop shot on match point.

Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy won through to a clash with second seeded compatriot Amelie Mauresmo as she cruised to victory in her first round match.

Dechy eased past Italy's Tathiana Garbin 6-2, 6-3 before paying tribute to the affect of her new Dutch coach Martijn Bok, who she has been working with since the Australian Open.

"I have worked well with him over the last two weeks and I feel more solid now," said Dechy, who bombed out in the first round in Melbourne against Martina Hingis, winning just two games.

This was her first win of the season.

"I don't know why I played badly in Australia but this was a good return to form and I'm happy with it."

In other early matches, Germany's Martina Muller dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Polish qualifier Agnieszka Radwanska to earn a second round meeting with fourth seeded Russian Nadia Petrova.

Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik crushed France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro to set up a second round tie against third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. - AFP/de

First round results:

Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS) bt Patty Schnyder (SUI) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Martina Muller (GER) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 6-1, 6-0
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) bt Stephanie Cohen-Aloro (FRA) 6-1, 6-4
Nathalie Dechy (FRA) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 6-2, 6-3
Lucie Safarova (CZE) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3
Camille Pin (FRA) bt Agnes Szavay (HUN) 6-4, 6-0
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) bt Aravane Rezai (FRA) 6-2, 6-1