NEW YORK, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne was a first-round winner Monday at the U.S. Open, the fourth and final Grand Slam tennis event of the year.
Henin-Hardenne was one of the first players scheduled to take the court on the first day, but had to wait out a rain delay that lasted more than an hour. The 2003 winner then beat Italian Maria Elena Camerin, 6-2, 6-1.
Henin-Hardenne has reached the final in all three of the other Grand Slam event's this year. She won the French Open and was runner-up to Amelie Mauresmo in the others.
Fourth-seed Elena Dementieva and sixth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, advanced Monday. Dementieva beat American Laura Granville 6-1, 6-4, and 2004 champ Kuznetsova defeated German Sandra Kloesel 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
American Lindsay Davenport, forced out last week with a shoulder injury, beat Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-1, 6-4.
