Belgians Clijsters, Henin-Hardenne Win Wimbledon Openers

Fresh off back-to-back titles at Roland Garros and Eastbourne, just the third woman in Sony Ericsson WTA Tour history to complete that double (after Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova), Henin-Hardenne had no problems against China's Yuan Meng, blasting twice as many winners to errors (28-14) during a comprehensive 60 61 rout.

"I was a bit tired from my last two matches in Eastbourne, but the rain yesterday helped me a little bit," said Henin-Hardenne, seeded No.3. "I was feeling better today. I played well, very consistent, pretty aggressive. I went forward. It's the kind of match you need in your first rounds."

Tuesday's win was a contrast to last year here, when Henin-Hardenne became the first new Roland Garros champion to drop an opener at Wimbledon two weeks later. But the Belgian has had fantastic results here before, reaching the final here in 2001 and the semis the next two years. She certainly seems capable of one day winning Wimbledon, the only major to elude her, although she played down talks this soon in the fortnight of a title run.

"I know I have possibilities now and in the future to win this tournament but it's still too early to talk about that," Henin-Hardenne added. "I prefer to stay focused on what I have to do every day and how hard I have to work. A Grand Slam is very long. But I'm very happy. If it has to happen, it will happen. I just want to play the best I can, then we will see."

Joining Henin-Hardenne on the winner's list was Clijsters, the No.2 seed, who completed a more difficult first round win over recent Birmigham titlist Vera Zvonareva. They were stopped Monday with Clijsters serving 5-4, and upon resumption, Zvonareva broke back to even things at 5-5. But the Belgian broke away, winning five straight games to close out the first set and race ahead 3-0 in the second, eventually clinching the match, 75 63.

"Doesn't matter if you play a really good player or a girl you don't know that well, you always have to be focused," Clijsters said on facing Zvonareva, a former Top 10 player who comes into Wimbledon ranked No.44. "Zvonareva is a really good player. Because of injuries, she has dropped to where she is. She surprised me with the way she was moving. In a short time she'll be back to where she was."

Also winning their openers were the Belgians' projected quarterfinal opponents, namely Svetlana Kuznetsova and Patty Schnyder, although they advanced under very different circumstances.

Kuznetsova, seeded No.5 this fortnight and in Clijsters' quarter of the draw, defeated Italian qualifier Romina Oprandi, 63 62. It was a stark contrast to her marathon third set tie-break victory in their last meeting, at Oprandi's breakout tournament in Rome. The Russian, who two weeks ago reached the Roland Garros final, is also a tough customer on grass, having won the Eastbourne title in 2004 and reaching two quarterfinals here.

Schnyder, the No.8 seed, battled back from an opening set disaster in beating Antonella Serra Zanetti, 26 76(4) 62. It was a rematch of their first round encounter last year, which was won by the unheralded Italian. Schnyder has struggled on these lawns in the past, having fallen either first or second round here in nine of 10 prior appearances. The only time she passed the second round hurdle, she fell in the third round.

For the most part, it was a good day for the rest of the seeded players as all 32 bottom half matches were completed.

Three of the four players seeded nine to 16 in action were winners. Czech teen Nicole Vaidisova (No.10) won a tight one with compatriot Klara Koukalova, 75 75; Hingis (No.12) beat Olga Savchuk, 62 62; and 2002 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Daniela Hantuchova (No.15) stepped it up in the third against feisty Italian Maria Elena Camerin to win, 64 46 61.

No.13 seed Anna-Lena Groenefeld was not so lucky, dropping her first match here for the third time in three career appearances, this time losing 36 63 61 to Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova notched her second Top 20 win of 2006 over the 16th-ranked German, having taken out then-No.10 Venus Williams in the first round of the Australian Open.

Six of eight players seeded 17 to 32 were also victorious, namely Ai Sugiyama (No.18), Katarina Srebotnik (No.21), Marion Bartoli (No.24), Li Na (No.27), Anna Chakvetadze (No.30) and Gisela Dulko (No.31). Li is the first ever player from China to be seeded at a major, just a week after becoming the first from her country to rank in the Top 30.

No.17 seed Maria Kirilenko fought back from 5-2 down in the second to force a tie-break against Japan's Shinobu Asagoe, but still fell, 62 76(1); and No.28 seed Sofia Arvidsson was ousted by the Czech Republic's Eva Birnerova, 62 64.

Winners from the 16 encounters involving unseeded players included former Top 10 player Alicia Molik; 2004 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Karolina Sprem; near-2005 quarterfinalist Kveta Peschke; six-time fourth round finisher Tamarine Tanasugarn; recent Birmingham semifinalist Meilen Tu; and American teenager Jamea Jackson, a runner-up in Birmingham, who notched her first Top 10 win in the semis of that tournament over Maria Sharapova.
-- WTA