Serena Is Dressed for Success -- on the Court

You know things aren’t going well when you are ranked higher on Mr. Blackwell’s list than in the Women’s Tennis Assn. tour rankings.

Clearly, Serena Williams has some rehab to do on both fronts.

She recently landed at No. 6 on Mr. Blackwell’s annual top-10 list of worst-dressed women. (“Courting disaster with every style-free serve, black leather at the [U.S.] Open takes a lot of nerve!” he sniped.)

The explanation for her No. 7 ranking on the tour is nearly as straightforward: Williams, slowed by recovery from knee surgery, failed to win a Grand Slam singles title for the first time since 2001, and reached only one Slam final, losing to Russian teenager Maria Sharapova in straight sets at Wimbledon.

Her road back to the top started today at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park. A nervous Camille Pin of France provided only token opposition for Williams on a relatively uneventful opening day on the court. The seventh-seeded Williams had 27 winners and 22 unforced errors in defeating Pin, 6-1, 6-1, in 56 minutes.

Following Williams at Rod Laver Arena was defending men’s champion Roger Federer of Switzerland, who beat Fabrice Santoro of France, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

Questions about the state of Andre Agassi’s health were answered in about an hour and half. It took a little more than that for Agassi to dispatch German qualifier Dieter Kindlmann, 6-4, 6-3, 6-0. Leading up to the Open, Agassi had been questionable when it appeared he had suffered a hip injury, which led to his withdrawal from an exhibition here last week.

But Agassi said tests showed he had suffered a small tear in an upper-leg tendon.

“Today was great to be on the court for three sets,” said Agassi, seeded eighth. “But with antiinflammatory [pills] and a little treatment, I think I can for sure get myself to 100%.

“You do have those questions. Getting through today the way I did -- not feeling it like I was hoping not to feel it -- leaves me in a better position to push it the day after tomorrow. Tendons are a lot more manageable than muscle strains or tears.”

It was a mixed opening day for the American men. Takao Suzuki of Japan beat Jan-Michael Gambill, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; French Open champion Gaston Gaudio took out Justin Gimelstob, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-3, and Gael Monfils defeated Robby Ginepri, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (6). Monfils is the fast-rising French teenager who won three of the four junior Grand Slams last year, and this was his first Slam on the pro level.

One American did join Agassi in the second round. Taylor Dent of Huntington Beach defeated qualifier Florent Serra of France, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4. Dent had pulled out of last week’s event in Sydney because of illness.

Though Agassi’s victory was emphatic, he’ll probably have to lift his level in the second round. He could face Rainer Schuettler of Germany, a possible rematch of the 2003 Australian Open final, which Agassi won in straight sets.

The task for Williams appears simpler. Her part of the draw is relatively soft; the next highest-seeded player in her round of 16 is No. 11 Nadia Petrova of Russia. About the biggest problem she had against Pin was losing her shoe in the second game of the match.

“I have a bad habit, like I always slip in and out of my shoes like they’re flip-flops,” Williams said. “So I never tie them. So I just slip in, I get out and play matches and slip out. I guess I forgot to tie them.”

She offered a more spirited rejoinder to Mr. Blackwell.

“I mean, come on, who was on that list?” Williams said. “It was Lindsay Lohan. I’m sorry, she wears simple clothes and she always dresses nice. Jessica Simpson, I have never seen her dress bad myself. She wears some of the best clothes.

“It was like he was taking a shot at all of the young Hollywood out there and me too.... So I don’t understand that list. I think he was just upset that young Hollywood is doing so well and taking over.”