Vengeful Kuznetsova blows Bychkova off court

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) Svetlana Kuznetsova avenged one of the most painful defeats of her career when she blew fellow Russian Ekaterina Bychkova off court with a 6-0 6-3 onslaught in the first round of the French Open today.

The third seed had been humiliated by Bychkova at the 2005 U S Open when she became the first defending champion to lose in the opening round.

Fast forward two years and Bychkova felt the full force of Kuznetsova's wrath as she was hopelessly outclassed by last year's runner-up.

Kuznetsova won nine consecutive games before her 79th-ranked opponent could even find an opening to get on the scoreboard.

The 21-year-old wrapped up victory in 58 minutes with a ferocious forehand winner and will next face either 2004 champion Anastasia Myskina or American Meghann Shaughnessy.

REUTERS AKD HT1652