Kournikova sets up clash with Venus Williams
Eleanor Preston
Anna Kournikova set up a second round clash with world number one Venus Williams at the Italian Open with a 6-3 6-3 win over Marta Marrero in her opening match in Rome.
"It's definitely never easy to play against Venus," said Kournikova, "She's obviously a very tough player. I have nothing to lose so I'm just going to go out there, try and play my best game and see how well I can do."
The win over Marrero will be a welcome boost for Kournikova. Now at a lowly 68 in the rankings, the Russian needed a wildcard to get into the main draw here and the victory over the Spaniard was only her second win in her last seven tournaments.
As one of the top eight seeds, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Williams received a bye into the second round.
Mary Pierce clawed her way past Swiss youngster Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian to seal a place in the second round.
Pierce, despite looking unsettled and ill-at-ease for much of the match against the feisty 18-year-old, took more than two hours to eke out a 6-3 5-7 6-4 win.
The 2000 French Open champion has been struggling with a stomach injury of late in addition to her chronic back problems, and has fallen as to 172 in the World Rankings.
She is only playing in the Tier 1 event thanks to protected ranking which allows players with long term injuries entry into events.
Away from the Court Centrale, day one of the women's event in Rome saw a Spanish double as Virginia Ruano Pascal and Magui Serna both scored straight sets wins.
Ruano Pascal beat her countrywoman Angeles Montolio 7-6 6-3, while Serna took care of Italian wildcard Maria Elena Camerin, 6-3 6-4. Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva stormed past Australian Open quarter-finalist Martina Sucha 6-0 7-6.
The day's only upset was 10th seed Meghann Shaughnessy's loss to Sweden's Asa Svensson. Svensson secured a 6-3 6-3 victory over the American.
Two other seeds, Tatiana Panova and Iroda Tulyaganova, both came through unscathed.
Panova, seeded 16, battled past America's Jennifer Hopkins 4-6 6-4 6-0, while 14th seed Tulyaganova beat local wildcard Tathiana Garbin 6-3 6-2.
There was better news for home players when Italy's Rita Grande came back from a set and a break down to beat Czech qualifier Klara Koukalova 2-6 6-4 6-1.
