Tennis

Arriving in California on tiptoe as its 2008 results have not as yet nothing flamboyant, Amelie Mauresmo has managed its first steps in Indian Wells. Exemptée of the first round because of his status as head series, the French, quarter-finalist here-2003, crossed the road to Edina Gallovits for the first time in his career Friday on the occasion of its entry into contention . Faced with a Romanian player with no real reference, pointing to the 64th rank of the WTA, the former world No. 1 has not experienced any major difficulties. Thanks to a game brought forward, Mauresmo has avoided any unpleasant surprises by taking mostly his opponent's throat. If it became breaker once per set, the double winner in Grand Slam, which she delighted the service of his opponent five times, was never really worried. His authoritarian gained victory in two sets (6-2, 6-4) and 1:18 game will be helped on the mental plane, which it is seeking confidence for over a year. Opposed to Alona Bondarenko in the third round, Mauresmo will pass a test far more revealing face of a player who had beaten her during their confrontation in Zurich last year. He spent by Stephanie Cohen-Aloro, issue of qualifications, it was far too difficult. Faced with Maria Sharapova, Paris has entered a game and spent less than an hour on the short (6-1, 6-0). Monfils too fair The French were twice as present in the California courts last night and saw the same percentage of success with two out of four qualified. Gilles Simon and Nicolas Mahut have been enforcing the logic in rejecting respectively Carlos Berlocq (6-2, 7-6) and Evgeny Korolev (3-6, 6-2, 6-2). The Niçois and Angevin will, however, in the skin of the outsider within forty-eight hours when they will face Mikhail Youzhny and Nicolas Almagro in the final sixteenth. Hope they manage to outsmart the better prognosis than Julien Benneteau and Gael Monfils. Not spoiled by the draw, the two members of Team Lagardere fell entry at the first Masters Series of the season. Benneteau, quarter-finalist in Las Vegas last week, has been an illusion set to Tommy Haas. The first. But after saving it, Bressan has completely exploded under the blows of the powerful German state which was yet in recent days in the press about a possible early retirement because of its many difficulties in recovering from its third operation to the shoulder suffered in the winter. Eblouissant at the second and third rounds, the former world number 2 should quickly change his mind if he is able to maintain this level of play (3-6, 6-0, 6-2). Monfils is also in search of her best tennis. Back in the competition in Dubai in early March after a five-month break generated by injuries, "Monf 'is still just a little, at least hope for beating a player of the hardening of Mario Ancic since its second meeting reentry. Defeated by the Croatian on the same score (6-3, 6-2) that during her first match of the year face Tomas Berdych, the French still has some way to go before returning to the level that earned him come close to the Top 20 of ATP in June 2006 (23rd, Ed). If injuries finally leave the quiet, but there is no reason why it does not come in a few weeks tickle his buddies Gasquet, Tsonga and Mathieu in the peaks of the world hierarchy.