Serena Williams and Justine Henin fought off nerves and tricky conditions in their first-round matches at the Australian Open.
Amelie Mauresmo continued her preparations for this month's Australian Open with a 6-3 6-4 win over fellow Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy to reach the last eight of the Australian Hardcourt Championships on Wednesday.
Dinara Safina finally got to show why she is top seed on Wimbledon's showpiece court, taming former champion Amelie Mauresmo on Monday to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
"Coming into the clay season I'm really just trying to enjoy myself. I've been struggling the last few years on this surface a lot, more than on the others," Mauresmo said ahead of the season's second major, which begins on Sunday.
World number one Dinara Safina overcame erratic form to beat unseeded Swiss Patty Schnyder 6-4 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open on Saturday.
Twice former champion Amelie Mauresmo was knocked out of the Italian Open in the first round on Sunday when she suffered a 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 defeat to Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was beaten 6-2, 6-2 by Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki in the second round of the Eastbourne International on Wednesday.
She pulled out of the Fed Cup semi-finals against the US as she is not fully fit.\n
Former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo pulled herself together after a three-hour rain break to beat Ukraine's Olga Savchuk 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in the first round of the French Open. The former world number one was one of only 13 winners as rain sliced more than seven hours off the day's play with the final interruption coming as men's defending champion Rafael Nadal stood at 1-1 against Brazilian qualifier Thomas Bellucci.
World number one Justine Henin scored and easy win over Marion Bartoli while Amelie Mauresmo went through when her Russian semi-final opponent Nadia Petrova pulled out with injury.
Wimbledon's aim is to create a timeless, relaxed atmosphere "like a walk in an English country garden."
French fans will catch their first glimpse of Amelie Mauresmo on Wednesday when the home favourite begins her bid for a maiden French Open title.
Amelie Mauresmo battled over three sets to overcome fellow Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in the semi-finals of the Strasbourg Open on Friday.
Local favourite Amelie Mauresmo confirmed her return to form when she beat Russian third seed Elena Dementieva 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 to clinch her third Paris Open title on Sunday.
Local favourite Amelie Mauresmo reached the final of the Paris Open with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-1 victory over second seed Jelena Jankovic on Saturday. The Frenchwoman, who won the tournament in 2001 and 2006, next faces Olympic champion Elena Dementieva after the third seed from Russia went through when Serena Williams pulled out injured.
World number one Serena Williams stepped up her bid for a third Paris Open title by reaching the semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Emilie Loit on Friday. The American, winner here in 1999 and 2003, next plays Olympic champion Elena Dementieva after the Russian saw off another Frenchwoman, Nathalie Dechy, 6-3, 6-2.
Roger Federer, Michael Schumacher and Tiger Woods are all in the running for a third Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
Czech Lucie Safarova stunned world number five Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semi-final clash with Belgium's Justine Henin at the Paris Open on Friday.
The return of Justine Henin has added an intriguing twist to an Australian Open women's tournament overflowing with talent and mystery.
With Justine Henin-Hardenne withdrawing from the Grand Slam, Maria Sharapova was elevated to the top spot.
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo beat her fellow Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the Kremlin Cup first round.
The victory helped the Russian secure the eighth and final berth in the WTA's Tour Championships.
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo slumped to her second first-round defeat by Slovak teenager Dominika Cibulkova in a week when she lost 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the China Open on Monday.
The Russian faces unseeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova in the semi-finals of the Zurich Open.
World No 7 Elena Dementieva came from a set down to defeat Czech Lucie Safarova 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 to win the Paris Indoor Open for the first time on Sunday.
Number one seed Elena Dememtieva reached the final of the Paris Indoor Open for the second year running on Saturday when she recovered from a set down to beat 18-year-old American Melanie Oudin 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The Russian, ranked number seven in the world, will face Lucie Safarova in the final after the Czech also came from a set down to overturn the Italian second seed Flavia Pennetta 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The top seed withdrew from the Stuttgart Grand Prix without playing a match, suffering from a right shoulder strain.\n
Top seed Amelie Mauresmo and third seed Maria Sharapova also marched on with straight-sets victories at the US Open.\n
World number one Amelie Mauresmo lost 6-4, 7-5 to defending champion Lindsay Davenport in the New Haven quarter-finals.
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo said on Thursday she would not play in the Beijing Olympics next month to concentrate on preparing for the US Open.
Amelie Mauresmo's Wimbledon reign ended in a bizarre fourth round encounter when she was upset by the Czech teenager.
In the glossy "Love Life" book, the 15 top women players offered tips on everything from what to eat and what to pack through to how best to relax.
The Belgian world number one beat Amelie Mauresmo to keep the Eastbourne International title.
World number one Justine Henin brushed aside Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova to reach the semi-finals of the Eastbourne International.
The world number one is feeling calm and happy after a period of personal upheaval.
World number ones Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo face potentially tricky Czech opponents in the fourth round of the French Open on Sunday
Lucie Safarova ensured that Mauresmo's prayers went unanswered by humbling her 6-3, 7-6 in the third round.
Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo recovered from a sluggish start to beat Uzbekistan's Varvara Lepchenko 6-4 6-1 and reach the third round of the Strasbourg Open on Wednesday.
Maria Sharapova took a marathon three hours, 27 minutes to beat Medina Garrigues 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 while Amelie Mauresmo overcame Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 to make it to the quarter-finals of the Amelia Island Championships.
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