Anna flies out but tennis fans excited by other attractions

ANNA KOURNIKOVA flew out of Dublin at 5am yesterday but that didn’t mean there weren’t many other attractions awaiting the fans at the Trilogy Challenge in the RDS.

The Simmonscourt arena was about two-thirds full when the second day’s programme got underway with a straight sets victory for Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport over Eva Majoli and Barbara Schett, but there was a noticeable increase both in numbers and interest once the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, entered the hall to take on the sure-to-be-outclassed Daniela Hantuchova and Elena Bovina.

Serena and Venus, in that order, are numbers one and two in the world and it was some coup (however expensive) on the parts of the organisers to attract them to this country for the first time.

The only pity was that the format of the Trilogy Challenge meant there couldn’t be a clash between, say, Seles and Davenport and the sisters.

Instead, a squad representing the USA remained on the same side of the net and accordingly, meant that far too many of the matches were guaranteed to be one-sided.

Both American wins on Thursday were in straight sets. Yesterday was doubles day and anybody suggesting that the Americans wouldn’t mop up the opposition would have been taken away for certification.

Sure enough, Davenport and Seles, a pair with a bundle of major titles to their credit and apparently as competitive as ever, raced through the first set against Majoli and Schett by 6-1.

Even though the outcome was never in doubt, the particular attraction of doubles kept the crowd well entertained, especially when the European girls, outclassed as they inevitably were, forced a tie breaker by mixing up their approach in clever and entertaining fashion.

The biggest cheer of the night came when Davenport, serving for the match at 5-4, was broken while the majority of the attendance, understandably hoping to see it go to three sets, again showed their delight when the outsiders forced a set point on Monica’s serve.

However, they don’t come much more competitive than the Serb-American who lashed a fierce winning forehand to get back to deuce and after that, there could be only one outcome. The Williamses arrived on court to a tremendous reception.

And little wonder. They are two of sport’s greatest attractions. Watching them on television is one thing; seeing them at first-hand, something else altogether. As I’ve pointed out, the only regret was that the opposition couldn’t have been a little more meaningful.

Last night: M. Seles and L. Davenport (USA) bt E. Majoli and B. Schett (Europe) 6-1, 7-6. Today, 10. 30 a.m., S. Williams v I. Majoli; 1 p.m., V. Williams v E. Bovina; 3. 30, J. Capriati v D. Hantuchova.