Russians well placed to break stranglehold

TENNIS: Six days ago, 11 Russian players were in the main draw of the women's singles at Roland Garros. Yesterday there were seven and today five remained.

While most of the names are still unfamiliar to the ear, the Russian threat to break the dominance of America and Belgium in the women's game appears to have a legitimate basis.

Yesterday, 17-year-old Maria Sharapova, now based in Florida, beat her compatriot 19-year-old Vera Zvonareva, who was seeded 10 to Sharapova's 18.

The 21-year-old eighth seed Nadia Petrova was beaten while the ninth seed, 22-year-old Elena Dementieva advanced when her opponent Anna Pistolesi-Smashnova retired injured.

On the other side of the draw Anastasia Myskina, Svetlana Kuzetsova, and Elena Bovina all play today.

There is a common theme running through tennis that unless there are a couple of American players at the top of the game, tennis won't thrive.

But there is also the need to break the stranglehold of the Williams sisters Serena and Venus and the two Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, who have created a private club that no one can yet enter.

Serena and Venus may meet in the semi-finals here, while Clijsters is injured and Henin-Hardenne was a surprise early exit, which gives hope to the Russian players as well as Amelie Mauresmo. It is about time.

No non-Belgian or non-American woman has won a Grand Slam singles title since Mary Pierce did here in Paris in 2000. No non-Belgian or non-American woman has reached a Grand Slam singles final since Switzerland's Martina Hingis was beaten by Jennifer Capriati at the 2002 Australian Open.

Furthermore, that Australian Open final was the last time a Grand Slam women's singles final was not an all-Belgian or all-Williams affair.

So that eight Major streak will be broken next week and although Mauresmo also came through yesterday in two sets, the Russians are still well placed. None have reached a Grand Slam final before and, inevitably, all are being compared to Anna Kournikova, particularly the youngest, the six feet tall, Sharapova.

"It is pretty normal these days (to be compared). I just have to answer the questions as they get asked," said Sharapov yesterday. "All the Russians want to be theirselves (sic) and they don't want to be compared to anyone," she said.

Of the volume of Russian players coming on stream Sharapova is becoming used to.

"It's pretty normal now. Before it used to be quarter, semis when you'd meet a Russian, now it is first second round you could play one of them.

"There's so many. It is not very easy going on to court knowing that you are playing a compatriot that you know very well. It's never easy.

"But now it's a ritual and I'm kind of getting used to it."

Another player who could come into the end game is America's Lindsay Davenport. Seeded five, Davenport has been quietly moving through the bottom of the draw and yesterday defeated Merissa Irvin in just over and hour 6-3, 6-2.

Davenport now meets Elena Dementieva in the next round and must now feel confident of her chances of moving through to the quarter-finals, where she could then face Mauresmo.

Clay is not the American's favourite surface, her six-foot frame and mobility not ideal for the frantic side to side movement and long rallies.

But again she was hitting her ground strokes sweetly and hopes now to equal her 1998 semi-final placing.