Five brokes and a 6-2, 6-1 win, Safina did not see that easy. The dending champion also double-faulted for nine times in this opending match.

"It was difficult, as it always is when I play against another Russian," said Safina, with a 13-12 record against Russians."I missed several easy shots."

The last year Gaz de France winner considered her biggest titleto date also led to somewhat of a slump she had to endure over last summer.

"The hardest time for me was right after Roland Garros. I was wondering what was wrong with my game, why I was losing virtually every match I was playing," Safina said.

However, after the middling performance on grass and through the North American summer, Safina then finished 2005 with three semifinals in her last four events.

"I realized after a while that being serious and working hard would eventually pay, and my game would come back. And it finally did," she said.

Also, top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo has a first-round bye and willmeet the winner of Russia's Vera Dushevina and Ivana Lisjak of Croatia on Wednesday; France's Stephanie Foretz defeat eighth-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-1, 1-6, 6-0. Enditem