Tennis-Mauresmo shines in the rain with Santangelo win

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) Champion Amelie Mauresmo shone amid the rain clouds on Wimbledon's Centre Court with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Italian Mara Santangelo in the third round today.

Mauresmo got off to a slow start with a poor opening service game after the start of the match was delayed by almost two hours.

However the fourth seed soon found her touch and was never really in trouble against Santangelo, whom she also beat in straight sets at Eastbourne last week.

Mauresmo, who has had a mixed season after missing two months with appendicitis earlier in the year and then being hampered by a thigh problem, gave herself eight out of 10 for her performance.

''I always like to think that I have few things here and there to improve -- little bit on the serve still, although it was much better than the first couple of matches,'' the 27-year-old told a news conference.

''Overall I thought I played a good match, really going forward kind of tennis and that's what has been working well for me here. So I'll just keep going.'' Mauresmo added that the delay in starting the match because of the bad weather had not bothered her.

''I'm happy because I handled that part pretty well,'' she said. ''I'm just glad also that I was able to go on and finish quickly so that I have this third round behind me.'' Mauresmo set up break point in Santangelo's first service game with a sweet backhand crosscourt shot. The Italian went 2-0 down when she fluffed a forehand.

A double fault from Santangelo and then a wide forehand gave Mauresmo another easy break for a 5-1 lead and she sealed the set with an ace, one of 11 she sent down in the match.

Mauresmo, with her right thigh strapped, appeared to be unstoppable and broke Santangelo in the opening game of the second set but a couple of errors from the Frenchwoman, including a double fault, allowed the world number 29 to level at 1-1.

Mauresmo broke her opponent twice more but just when the former Australian Open champion seemed to have the match sewn up, Santangelo began to put up a fight.

She had two break points when Mauresmo served for the match at 5-2. Santangelo was unable to convert either, however, and another ace from Mauresmo put her safely through to the last 16.

She will next meet either Czech 14th seed Nicole Vaidisova or Belarussian Victoria Azarenka.

REUTERS NY KP2346