Neil Harman
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What impressed you about Anne Keothavong’s performance today?
I thought it was an extremely courageous display, especially the way she came back from 4-2 down in the final set against an opponent [Francesca Schaivone] who has a reputation of being a really feisty competitor herself. Anne gave her all, she showed courage, strength, kept her focus, held her game together marvellously and never lost concentration. It was a very, very mature performance.
How do you rate her chances against Elena Dementieva?
If you look at it sensibly Dementieva is a top 10 player, a grand slam finalist and she has just won the gold medal at the Olympics. So Keothavong's chances, realistically you would have to say, are fairly slim. But I would look at it another way and say that hopefully Anne brings her best game and puts it alongside Dementieva's and see where it gets her. She has to give of her very, very best and look at this as a great opportunity. Remember, no British woman has been to the third round of the US Open since 1991 (Jo Durie and Sara Gomer) so she's done remarkably well already.
Which of the women’s top seeds in action today impressed you the most and why?
Jelena Jankovic specialises in struggles and she had a hellish time of it [she beat Sofia Arvidsson 6-3, 6-7, 7-5], a bit like Ana Ivanovic the previous day. It was a typical Jelena performance, she doesn't like to do things the easy way. But, like the best players invariably do, she found a way to win.
Svetlana Kuznetsova [the Russian beat Sorana Cirstea 7-6, 6-1] could become the new world No 1 and I think she feels she certainly has a point to prove. She has won this tournament before, remember, [beating Dementieva in 2004] and she probably doesn't get the recognition she deserves for that.
We didn’t get a chance to talk about Federer [he beat Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina] last night because he had yet to get on court. What did you think?
It was the sort of first match you like to get under your belt, in straight sets, with the minimum of fuss and I thought he looked good. He won one set 6-0, which is always an accomplishment in a grand slam tournament whatever the opposition, though he knows there is a long way to go.
Incidentally, Andy Murray is on the Grandstand Court today [he plays Michael Llodra of France] and he has had some very good wins there. I have said this before, but I honestly don't see him being troubled. You might remember it was also on Grandstand where he threw up on court when he played Andrei Pavel a few years back.
Neil Harman was talking to Richard Neale
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