Kournikova triumphs in diva's drama

One of the tables in the officials' restaurant at the Dubai Duty Free Open is designated Press/TV/Police. Whether this is a case of them watching us watching them is open to debate. But last night we were all watching Anna Kournikova.

The 20-year-old Russian diva did not disappoint. Her debut in the Middle East, a win against Salima Sfar, of Tunisia, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, after two hours and 16 minutes, provided the familiar package of glorious shots, hackers' errors, double-faults and mini-dramas.

Kournikova is due back on Centre Court today for a second-round contest against Venus Williams, the top seed and world No 1 elect.

Sfar, who in this same stadium last year became the first Arab woman to reach the quarter-finals of a WTA tournament, is ranked only five places behind Kournikova, whose position at No 88 in the world reflects the months she lost last season because of a stress fracture to her left foot, which required surgery.

Fears of a recurrence of the injury were raised when Kournikova took a time-out for treatment and medication at 4-5 in the opening set. As the trainer strapped Kournikova's foot, her opponent jogged on the court to ease her nerves before serving for the set.

Sfar, who had been unable to convert any of four set points on Kournikova's serve in the previous game, was broken for 5-5. She responded by breaking for 6-5, only for Kournikova to save three more set points as Sfar served for the set a second time.

Kournikova took a tumble while hitting a winner to create the break point and said afterwards that worrying about the condition of her left foot contributed to her losing the first five points of the tie-break. Sfar won the shoot-out, 7-3 – after Kournikova returned a serve long on the 10th set point.

As the match moved into its second hour, Kournikova went back to her chair looking for treatment after Sfar had held served in the opening game of the second set. Alan Mills, the Wimbledon referee, told Kournikova that she would have to wait until the next change-over, two games later. The trainer did not reappear.

Kournikova broke for 2-1 and 4-1 in winning the second set and broke for the fourth time in succession to lead, 1-0, in the final set. But the Russian immediately lost the advantage, double-faulting for the 11th time. Sfar broke again, for 3-1, but there were signs of tiredness in her play as she -double-faulted twice at 40-0 in the fifth game, having won 13 of the previous 14 points.

The Russian made the decisive break for 5-4, and converted the first match point with a forehand volley. "I was fighting through and in the end I pulled myself together," Kournikova said. "When I did get the ball in I was playing very well. But it was difficult because my mind was thinking about my body, not about the game. I just felt pain in my foot and I couldn't push off on my serve."