Myskina plays down pressure

By Mark Orlovac
BBC Sport at Wimbledon

Myskina defeated Lubomira Kurhajcova in the first round

French Open champion Anastasia Myskina insists she is under no added pressure to have a good Wimbledon following her success in Paris earlier this month.

The second seed was speaking during a frustrating day in SW19 which saw her second-round match against Aniko Kapros delayed because of the weather.

"The French Open is really in the past and I try to focus on the present. It's Wimbledon, it's different," she said.

"I don't really feel a star, I'm just focused on the game."

She added: "My goal is to play my best. I hope for a quarter-final or a semi-final place, that would be great."

The 22-year-old, who defeated fellow Russian Elena Dementieva in Paris, is hoping her Grand Slam victory will provide inspiration for her compatriots.

"I feel really great and now I hope that there is a change in the Russian girls," she said.

I think Baltacha is a great girl Ana Myskina

"Everybody has said that we are coming but finally we're here and we can prove that we can win."

Myskina also believes that Britain's women tennis players can finally make their mark at this year's Championships.

Elena Baltacha, Anne Keothavong, Emily Webley-Smith and Jane O'Donoghue all booked places in the second round just 12 months after all the British women were beaten at the first hurdle.

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"Britain has great tennis players. I think Baltacha is a great girl," she said.

"She has a good future. She was sick but she's coming back and I want to wish them all good luck.

"They have to work hard, and even harder to become top 10 players. But I think the girls who are playing now have a future."

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