Nine-year absence nearly costs Graf

STEFFI GRAF paid for her long absence from the Italian tennis by struggling to beat France's Alexia Dechaume Ballaret 6-3, 7-6 in Rome yesterday.

It was nine years ago that the number one last competed on the Foro Italico's slow clay courts, though she won that title that occasion, her only previous appearance in the tournament.

This time she was delayed an hour and 20 minutes by her French opponent, ranked 129th in the world.

Although Graf has not lost on clay since the 1994 French Open semi finals, this was Graf's first match of the season on the surface and her game, especially on her favourite forehand side, was littered with unforced errors.

Despite racing into a 3-0 lead, the number one seed dropped her service twice in the first set and trailed 3-0 in the second before, angrily swishing her racket, she then reeled off the next five games.

But serving for the match at 5-4, the German lost the game on a double fault, giving Dechaume Ballaret the chance to take the set into a tie break. With her game still plagued by unforced mistakes, Graf needed two match points before a forehand volley finally dispatched her stubborn opponent.