Capriati lives the dream

Tennis: If you want to know what winning the Australian Open last year still means to Jennifer Capriati then knock at her front door in Florida.

A replica trophy and what she calls a "stuffed" kangaroo - actually a toy one - are just inside, constant reminders of the victory which continues to give her a glow.

Now the 25-year-old is back to defend her first Grand Slam title, one that was an eventful and for a while wayward 11 years in coming, and she is dreaming of doing it all again.

Back as world number one this week because of Lindsay Davenport's injury, Capriati opened with a 6-4 6-1 win over Croatian Silvija Talaja.

"I've not been in this position before, defending a Grand Slam title," she said. "But I couldn't wait to get out there and see how the first match went.

"I even dreamt about the tournament last night - that's never happened before, and I felt the crowd pulling for me. I felt like one of their own.

"I like the feeling of being the number one and I want to keep it for a while and take myself to a new level in my career."

Beaten in the first round in Sydney last week by her fellow American Alexandra Stevenson and troubled there by a hip injury, Capriati emerged with heavy strapping on her right thigh.

But although a trainer was called during the match she said afterwards: "It was just precautionary. I felt comfortable."

Capriati followed up her win last year by adding the French Open and her domination was ended only when she lost to Justine Henin in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Nineteen-year-old Belgian Henin could yet block her path again at the same stage after ending Anna Kournikova's Grand Slam comeback 6-2 7-5.

Glamour girl Kournikova missed the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open last year after foot surgery and so found herself unseeded for the event in which 12 months ago she reached the quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old Russian's straight sets defeat was her 40th in 56 Grand Slam matches and left her further than ever away from her first tournament victory.

Stevenson is already out as well, beaten by 10th seed Meg Shaughnessy.

In a battle of two former French Open champions, Croatian Iva Majoli upset 14th seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain 6-4 7-5.