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Rubin rolls in WTA State Farm Classic return
Scottsdale (USA), Feb 25: Three weeks off after a semi-final loss in Tokyo did little to slow Chanda Rubin, who routed fellow American Jill Craybas 6-3, 6-1 here yesterday in the first round of the WTA State Farm Classic.
Scottsdale (USA), Feb 25: Three weeks off after a semi-final loss in Tokyo did little to slow Chanda Rubin, who routed fellow American Jill Craybas 6-3, 6-1 here yesterday in the first round of the WTA State Farm Classic.
Rubin, who turned 27 last week, was playing for the first time since losing to compatriot Monica Seles on February 1 in the semi-finals of the Pan Pacific Open.
Aside from the Tokyo semi-finals, Rubin reached the quarter-finals at Sydney and the fourth round at the Australian Open in January.
"I've had a pretty good start," she said. "I've had opportunities that have kind of slipped by. That's a little bit disappointing. But I can't complain about where I am. I'm healthy. Everything looks positive."
Rubin won two titles last year after undergoing left knee surgery in mid-January.
Top-seeded defending champion Serena Williams, second seed Kim Clijsters, third seed Lindsay Davenport and Yugoslavian fourth seed Jelena Dokic received first-round byes. But three of four seeds who played advanced.
French eighth seed Nathalie Dechy rallied past Croatian wild card Mirjana Lucic 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. Lucic, a semi-finalist here last year, was making her season debut.
Sixth seed Eleni Daniilidou of Greece dispatched Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-2, 6-3, and Francesca Schiavone of Italy eliminated seventh-seeded Russian Elena Bovina 6-1, 6-4.
Bureau Report
"I've had a pretty good start," she said. "I've had opportunities that have kind of slipped by. That's a little bit disappointing. But I can't complain about where I am. I'm healthy. Everything looks positive."
Rubin won two titles last year after undergoing left knee surgery in mid-January.
Top-seeded defending champion Serena Williams, second seed Kim Clijsters, third seed Lindsay Davenport and Yugoslavian fourth seed Jelena Dokic received first-round byes. But three of four seeds who played advanced.
French eighth seed Nathalie Dechy rallied past Croatian wild card Mirjana Lucic 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. Lucic, a semi-finalist here last year, was making her season debut.
Sixth seed Eleni Daniilidou of Greece dispatched Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-2, 6-3, and Francesca Schiavone of Italy eliminated seventh-seeded Russian Elena Bovina 6-1, 6-4.
Bureau Report