American stars Venus Williams and Andy Roddick got the Olympic tennis show on the road yesterday with a classy act which was seen by only a sprinkling of spectators.
Tennis, recalled to the Games in 1988, might claim to be a fully-established Olympic sport but the dire stories of more than half the tickets going unsold appeared to be confirmed, at least on the first day. US Open champion Roddick was unconcerned.
But Marat Safin, who lost in the first round in Sydney four years ago after winning the US Open, knocked the stay-away fans.
“I didn’t see a lot of people watching other sports. If you check on the TV there are not that many people that are really watching,” said the Russian who beat Karol Kucera of Slovakia 6-0, 6-4.
Defending champion Williams, who had not played since spraining her wrist in Los Angeles three weeks ago, swept past Melinda Czink of Hungary in 57 minutes although Roddick found Flavio Saretta a surprisingly stubborn first round opponent.
The 81st ranked Brazilian, watched by compatriot and triple French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, kept Roddick on court 1hr 22 minutes in a baseline battle that finished 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in the American’s favor.
Another player overcome with stage-fright was Ai Sugiyama of Japan. Seventy unforced errors saw the eighth seed fighting back from a set down to beat China’s Zheng Jie 4-6, 6-3, 8-6.
Williams, who has slipped to 12th in the world since winning the US Open and Wimbledon titles in succession in 2000 and 2001 and missing the latter half of 2003 with an abdominal injury, won 6-1, 6-2.
Williams was scheduled to meet world No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne in the quarterfinals after the Belgian made a successful return after an 11-week break because of a virus.
She beat world No 66 Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4 in troublesome, swirling wind and now plays Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela, ranked 31 in the world.
Tim Henman supplied the only surprise on the opening day, losing in straight sets to Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic in a half-hearted display.
Henman, No 5 in the ATP rankings, lost 6-3, 6-3 to the world No 27 in 1hr 8min.
