STANFORD, Calif. -- Anna Kournikova, spurred on by an enthusiastic young crowd that shouted, "We love you Anna," easily beat Anne Miller 6-1, 6-2 Tuesday in the first round of the $535,000 Bank of the West Classic.
Kournikova dominated, going up 4-1 in the first set with a running, off-balance shot at the net that Miller had to try to backpedal to return.
In the second set, the ninth-seeded Kournikova double-faulted to lose serve and even the set at 1-1, then regained her composure to break Miller in the next game.
After a forehand sailed past Miller for match point, Kournikova waved to the supportive crowd at Stanford's Taube Family Stadium.
One fan held up a sign that read: "I Play Hockey," a reference to the tennis star's high-profile social life.
"I think she was really nervous, and I think I played well," Kournikova said of Miller. "It was one of the most enjoyable matches I've played in the last few months because I played the way I wanted to play."
Kournikova, ranked 19th in the world, capitalized on six of seven break-point opportunities. She played the 48-minute match with a calm focus.
"I was really confident," she said. "So I felt that I could hit and really try to attack and not hold anything back."
Miller, who took a two-year break from tennis to attend college, admittedly didn't play her best in her first match back.
"I don't really think I gave her too much competition tonight," Miller said.
Miller plans to play in six tournaments this year and judge whether she wants to make a full return to tennis.
"As far of nerves, tonight was probably the worst I'll have to deal with.
But we'll see," she said.