TENNIS ITALIAN OPEN : Capriati’s Quick Win Makes It Look Easy

Jennifer Capriati’s European debut was short and sweet.

Playing in front of Italian relatives and a crowd that has adopted her as its own, the 14-year-old American overwhelmed qualifier Leona Laskova of Czechoslovakia, 6-0, 6-3, Monday in the first round of the Italian Open.

The match, played on the red clay of the Foro Italico center court, lasted only 50 minutes.

It was an easy workout for the 12th-seeded Capriati, who has reached two finals in three tournaments and moved to No. 25 in the world rankings since turning pro in March.

Laskova, ranked No. 143 in the world, was always on the defensive, as Capriati cracked forehand and backhand winners from the backcourt. The eighth-grader also showed no hesitation in coming to the net, often charging in for putaway volleys and smashes.

In the only other matches involving seeded players, No. 9 Laura Gildemeister of Peru beat Nicole Provis of Australia, 6-2, 7-5, and No. 12 Helen Kelesi of Canada defeated Jo-An Faull of Australia, 6-4, 6-1.

Unseeded American Lori McNeil lost to Czechoslovakia’s Radka Zrubakova, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.