Rain helps sixth seed Ivanovic overcome Czink

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - French Open finalist Ana Ivanovic made the most of a rain break to overcome Hungarian Melinda Czink 6-0 7-6 in the first round at Wimbledon today.

The Serbian sixth seed with the powerful serve raced through the first set in 19 minutes but left-hander Czink rallied at the start of the second set, breaking Ivanovic when she sent the ball long.

Ivanovic, 19, was 2-1 down and at deuce on Czink's serve when the rain came, forcing both players off the court.

''It helped me a lot because I could take some time and realise what I was doing wrong,'' Ivanovic said of the rain.

''Then from the first moment when I was back on court...I could be more aggressive again,'' she told reporters.

''I started a very good match. I think I played some really good tennis but then she started being much more aggressive. I didn't adjust to that really quickly.

Ivanovic broke back after the 40-minute rain delay but the 1.86 metres tall Serb was still made to work for her points.

Czink, ranked 133 in the world, pushed the set to a tiebreak, only to give Ivanovic the match when she put a forehand out.

Ivanovic faces American Meilen Tu in the second round.

The Serb, who famously practised shots in an empty swimming pool in war-torn Belgrade, capitulated to world number one Justine Henin in last month's Roland Garros final but was confident that when it came, her second grand slam final would be easier.

''I think every grand slam final you play, you're nervous, you have some kind of nerves you have to deal with. Just because you've been in that situation before you have to deal with it.

''Every next match I play, if I get this feeling that I'm nervous, I will just go back to that experience and say 'what can be more nervous that an grand slam final?' So that will help me for sure.'' REUTERS NY VC2337