NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Lindsay Davenport returned to the court Wednesday after taking almost a year off to have a child, losing a doubles match at the Pilot Pen to the top team in the world.
Davenport and partner Lisa Raymond were beaten by Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-7 (1), 6-3, and 10-4 in the match tiebreaker.
But for Davenport, it wasn't all about winning or losing.
"It was fun to be back," she said. "Obviously, this is the first step in a long process."
Davenport had not played since last September, and gave birth to her first child, Jagger Jonathan Leach, in June. She plans to return to singles play next month at a tournament in Bali.
"I feel I'm still very good at my job and having a child doesn't mean you have to abandon all your career and everything," she said. "I feel like while he's this young, and so far this good, I can drag him around the world and try and do what I still love to do."
Davenport lamented having to play the top seeds in the first round. Black and Huber have already won six doubles titles this year, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
There was an upset in the women's singles as qualifier Agnes Szavay of Hungary upset second-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 6-3 on in the second round.
It was the first time Hantuchova, ranked No. 10 in the world has faced the 41st-ranked Szavay.
After a close first set, Szavay broke Hantuchova in the fifth game of the second, finishing with a perfect backhand drop shot. Hantuchova broke back in the next game, but couldn't hold serve as Szavay took control of the match. Hantuchova saved two match points before finally being broken in the final game.
"She was very brave and moved very well," Hantuchova said. "She deserved to win."
Third-seeded Marion Bartoli of France defeated Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-0, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.
It was the second time in a row Bartoli has beaten Ruano Pascual. Bartoli is ranked No. 11 in the world; Ruano Pascual, No. 90.
Bartoli will next face No. 6-seed Elena Dementieva, who pulled out a her 6-1, 7-6 (6) victory over American Ashley Harkleroad.
"I started pretty aggressively and put a lot of pressure on her," said Dementieva, who also advanced to the quarterfinals. "At 4-1, I lost concentration and she started to play really well and made a lot of winners. I have to give her credit she played well in the second set."
On the men's side, it was a bad day for Americans. Last year's Pilot Pen finalist Agustin Calleri of Argentina defeated American Robby Ginepri 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, to advance to the quarterfinals. Spain's Fernando Verdasco, defeated American Vincent Spadea, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Other's advancing on the men's side were Jose Acasuso of Argentina, who defeated Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia, 6-1, 7-5 and Nicolas Almagro of Spain defeated France's Julien Benneteau, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.
Later, top men's seed Nikolay Davydenko was to play his first match of the tournament, facing 18-year-old American Donald Young, and women's top-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was to play Agnleszka Radwanska of Poland.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Source: ESPN.com
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