Barbara Schett made the best possible start to her 2003 season when she downed Jelena Kostanic in the opening round of the Uncle Tobys Hardcourts on the Gold Coast.

Former world No.7, Schett, made short work of her 21-year-old Croatian opponent but despite a confident performance admitted she had considered winding up her career after a lack-luster 2002 season. "I am not happy to be No.40 in the world and I don't think I belong there," said the No.8 seeded Austrian following the match. "I did begin to think should I continue to play or not but I decided that I can't stop like this, being ranked where I am."

Schett, embarking on her twelfth year on the tour, is determined to regain a place in the top 20 in 2003 but said she thought long and hard about whether she was prepared to commit to another year of travel and competition. "I've spent a long time on the Tour and I asked why do that - I don't even have any fun, I'm not with my friends, it's hard. But I've always loved this sport since I was a kid and I've only got a few years more so I have to try to make the best of it."

There were no signs of wavering commitment when the 26-year-old took to centre court against Kostanic. Sporting a stronger physique, Schett pounded her opponent into submission in the first set with the loss of just two games and raced to a 4-2 lead in the second set before Kostanic appeared to get her bearings.

At times Schett appeared to struggle with her new-found might spraying balls wide of the mark, and this allowed the Croatian to fight back to 3-4 with some deep groundstrokes - in particular a wicked lefty forehand. But the Austrian's greater weight of shot eventually ground Kostanic down, her backhand increasingly vulnerable to Schett's relentless drives.

This proved critical in the final game of the match, Schett attacking Kostanic's two-hander to earn herself match points and clinching it 6-2, 6-4.

Schett admitted to being jet-lagged following the encounter but was nevertheless content with her performance. "My footwork was terrible and my legs were really heavy but when I get over it I'm going to move much better and play more aggressively and make less mistakes," she said.

Singles
1R beat Jelena Kostanic 6-2 6-4
2R beat Els Callens 7-5 6-3
QF lost Nathalie Dechy 4-6 2-6

Doubles with Schnyder
1R beat Garbin/Schiavone 1-6 7-6 6-0
QF beat McShea/Selyutina 6-3 7-6
SF lost Kuznetsova/Navratilova 4-6 6-7

Photos

Gold Coast 2003 gallery

Article

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