Na: "I Hope Lindsay Wins US Open"
Open-Davenport advances past Li at U.S. Open
By Larry Fine
NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuter) - American world number one Lindsay Davenport carved
out a 6-4 6-4 victory over hard-hitting Li Na of China to reach the second
round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday.
Coming off victory at last week's New Haven Open, the second-seeded Davenport
was not at her sharpest in her first match against 23-year-old Li, who last
year became the first Chinese to win a women's tour event.
Li's deep groundstrokes and crackling crosscourt backhand kept the American at
bay and she staved off three match points before succumbing.
"I hope I can get better as the tournament goes along," said Davenport, the
1998 U.S. Open champion and runner-up at this year's Australian Open and
Wimbledon.
The 29-year-old Davenport ended the one hour, 11-minute match with an ace and
two more service winners after Li reached break point in the last game.
"I was expecting a tough match from her," Davenport said.
"I heard she had good groundstrokes. She had a really good backhand. I wasn't
really expecting that."
Davenport's summer hard court preparation was hampered by a bad back and
despite her victory in last week's run-up tournament, she admits she has not
found her stride.
"I still feel like I'm still kind of trying to get back into my groove of
playing well and being consistent," she said.
"I'm happy I'm here. I'm grateful I'm here. Hopefully I can make the best of it
."
The American veteran was playing in her 15th successive U.S. Open and 50th
grand slam event. Li was making her Open debut .
"I almost died when they said this was my 15th U.S. Open during the
introduction," she said. "That was pretty heavy to hear."
Li said Davenport was a role model for her.
"I hope she wins this tournament," she said.
Davenport said she knows the end of her career is near and relishes every new
opportunity.
"The last two years it's always been in the back of my mind, 'Oh, gosh, I
wonder if that was it.' It's fun to come back here and try to make some more
good memories."
Davenport will next play Pauline Parmentier of France, a 2-6 6-3 6-4 victor
against Antonella Serra Zanetti of Italy.
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