Myskina stunned by Polish junior Radwanska

WARSAW, May 2 (Reuters) Former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina slumped to a 6-4 4-6 6-4 defeat by Polish 17-year-old Agnieszka Radwanska in the first round of the Warsaw Cup today.

Radwanska, winner of the 2005 Wimbledon junior title, troubled Myskina with a strong forehand and often caught her out with beautifully executed drop shots on the clay surface.

''Obviously this was a very big surprise for me because Myskina is one of the best players in the world,'' said the 309th-ranked Radwanska. ''I wasn't expecting this victory at all and I'm just very very happy I was able to win here.'' Myskina rarely looked comfortable during the encounter.

''It's my first tournament on clay and the girl was playing pretty good,'' Myskina told reporters. ''Just a couple of mistakes and the match is over. I saw her for the first time in my life so it's a little bit difficult to play her.'' Myskina opened by breaking Radwanska for 2-0 but then hooked a backhand long which allowed Radwanska to break back in the fifth game.

Another backhand error gave the Pole a second break for 5-4, and she closed out the set in the next game.

Coming back from a break in the second set, Myskina took the match into a decider.

But Radwanska retained her composure and a perfectly executed backhand down the line gave her a double break to lead 3-0.

Both players dropped their serve to love in the next two games after which Myskina broke to trail 4-2.

In the final game, Radwanska held off a break point with a forehand winner into the corner, and then closed out the match with another winning forehand.

Daniela Hantuchova, who has split from British coach Nigel Sears after working with him almost continuously since June 2001, recovered from a set and 3-5 to beat Israel's Anna Smashnova 4-6 7-5 6-3.

''I'm really thankful for all his effort and all the knowledge that he's been trying to bring into my game and I will always appreciate it,'' said Hantuchova about her association with Sears.

''But I thought it was time to move on and go in a different direction in order to take my tennis to the next level.'' Fifth seed Francesca Schiavone needed only 55 minutes to beat Finland's Emma Laine 6-0 6-1.

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