Kournikova advances in Advanta Championships

Anna Kournikova easily advanced to the second round of the Advanta Championships in Villanova, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, beating American Mashona Washington 6-2, 6-0.

Anna Kournikova easily advanced to the second round of the Advanta Championships in Villanova, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, beating American Mashona Washington 6-2, 6-0.

Kournikova, the popular Russian seeded seventh, is seeking her first WTA Tour title. Last week in Germany, she lost to Belgium's Kim Clijsters in the semifinals of the Sparkassen Cup.

"I thought I was going to be tired, but I was playing well and decided to enter," said Kournikova. "But I'm much more confident than I was last year."

Kournikova won the final 10 games to end the match in 46 minutes.

"I'm playing much more aggressive, especially on this surface," Kournikova said of the hard indoor surface. "I'm playing more matches and I'm better when I do that."

Australia's Nicole Pratt, ranked 56th in the world, also advanced, beating Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-2, 7-5.

American Alexandra Stevenson retired after the first set against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova because of a right hamstring strain. Stevenson lost the first set 6-3.

In the final match of the day, ninth-seeded Chanda Rubin of the United States beat fellow American beat Amy Frazier 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

Results from the women's Advanta Championship tennis tournament.

Singles First round

Anna Kournikova, Russia, def. Mashona Washington, United States, 6-2, 6-0. Nicole Pratt, Australia, def. Ai Sugiyama, Japan, 6-2, 7-5. Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia, def. Alexandra Stevenson, United States, 6-3, ret. Chanda Rubin, United States, def. Amy Frazier, United States, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.