ROME, May 4: Russian teenager Anna Kournikova booked her place •in the Italian Open second round on Monday after her Italian opponent Rita Grande retired with cramp in the third set here, reports AFP,

The ninth seeded Kournikova was just recovering her true form when Grande, brought a punishing match to an end with the score at 6-7, 6-3, 2-0 in favour of the Russian.

Kournikova, the first seed in action on the opening day. was in a different class in terms of stroke-play. But her frequent lapses of concentration and a poor length turned what should have been a formality into a two-hour marathon.

The Russian blamed a slow clay court and a light racquet for her moments of difficulty, while a bitterly disappointed Grande blamed the turning point in the match, midway through the second set. on cramp.

"She played well in front of her home crowd, but it was difficult for me because the court was slow and I was trying out a new racquet and then had to change back to my old one.” said Kournikova.

'The racquet was light- and everything was going long. But

then, after I changed it. I made only a couple of enforced er-

And she summed up: "I was pretty much in control of the whole match. I'm playing well at the moment and have been for the last two tournaments.

"And I’m in great shape. Rita was cramping out there but I feel like I could go out now and practice."

Her analysis did not go down well with her opponent, though.

"I don’t agree." Grande said. "It was me who put her into a position to make those mistakes in the first place. I was playing hard and mixing my game with short and long shots.

"She can say what she likes because she won, but I could say

that if it wasn't lor those cramps at 2-2 (in the second set), I could have won it in two sets.'IVe never had cramps like that before."

Kournikova's error-riddled display finally caught up with her in the 1 Oth game when serving for 5-4 and the set. the Russian conceding break point before sweeping a cross court forehand out.

She broke back for 6-5, but was broken again for 6-6 and quickly found herself 4-6 down in the tiebreak before striking an easy return into the net to concede the set.

The second set went with serve until the fifth when Grande, who lifted her game, raced into a 40-0 lead before breaking for 3-2.

It looked like the beginning of the end for the ninth seed, but instead Kournikova broke back immediately with an imperious forehand which Grande didn't even bother moving for and then served out for 4-3.

The Russian, now unleashed and unstoppable, broke to love for 5-3. served out to take the set. broke Immediately for 1-0 in the third set and raced into a 2-0 lead before the match was brought to an early end.

Kournikova took the opening point of the third set. at which point. Grande called it a day.