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CARSON, Calif. (AP) - Ashley Harkleroad took another step in her comeback with a 6-3, 6-2 victory Monday over Shinobu Asagoe in the opening round of the JPMorgan Chase Open.
Harkleroad is trying to recapture her form after a four-month layoff caused by a torn ligament in her right elbow. The 19-year-old player dropped out of the top 100 in the rankings.
She lost her first two service games and fell behind 3-0 before winning eight games in a row to take control of the match.
"It took me a while to get a feel for the match, and then I started to play well and did the things I needed to do," Harkleroad said. "My game is coming together. I was aggressive when I needed to be."
She advanced to a second-round meeting Tuesday night with second-seeded Venus Williams.
No. 11 Francesca Schiavone, the highest seeded player in action on the opening day of the $585,000 tournament, moved into the second round with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Shenay Perry. But Akiko Morigami beat No. 12 Silvia Farina-Elia 6-2, 6-4, and Anca Barna defeated No. 13 Fabiola Zuluaga 6-1, 6-1.
Sixteen-year-old Jessica Kirkland, ranked 284th on the WTA Tour, beat 56th-ranked Tathiana Garbin 6-1, 6-3.
Another qualifier, 227th-ranked Lilia Osterloh, beat 45th-ranked Saori Obata, 7-5, 7-5. Anne Kremer, who lost in the final round of qualifying but got into the main draw when Maria Elena Camerin withdrew, capitalized on that break with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 win over Laura Granville.
Nathalie Dechy, Tina Pisnik, Marion Bartoli and Jelena Kostanic also advanced.
Harkleroad is trying to recapture her form after a four-month layoff caused by a torn ligament in her right elbow. The 19-year-old player dropped out of the top 100 in the rankings.
She lost her first two service games and fell behind 3-0 before winning eight games in a row to take control of the match.
"It took me a while to get a feel for the match, and then I started to play well and did the things I needed to do," Harkleroad said. "My game is coming together. I was aggressive when I needed to be."
She advanced to a second-round meeting Tuesday night with second-seeded Venus Williams.
No. 11 Francesca Schiavone, the highest seeded player in action on the opening day of the $585,000 tournament, moved into the second round with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Shenay Perry. But Akiko Morigami beat No. 12 Silvia Farina-Elia 6-2, 6-4, and Anca Barna defeated No. 13 Fabiola Zuluaga 6-1, 6-1.
Sixteen-year-old Jessica Kirkland, ranked 284th on the WTA Tour, beat 56th-ranked Tathiana Garbin 6-1, 6-3.
Another qualifier, 227th-ranked Lilia Osterloh, beat 45th-ranked Saori Obata, 7-5, 7-5. Anne Kremer, who lost in the final round of qualifying but got into the main draw when Maria Elena Camerin withdrew, capitalized on that break with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 win over Laura Granville.
Nathalie Dechy, Tina Pisnik, Marion Bartoli and Jelena Kostanic also advanced.
