By Neil Schmidt
Enquirer staff writer

MASON - The new, improved Laura Granville looked sharp Wednesday. Fresh, too.

Rallying from a 4-2 deficit in the final set, the Chicago native beat Sandra Kleinova 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open first round.

This follows a runner-up appearance last week in Vancouver. It's the result, Granville said, of the time off after Wimbledon that she spent working on conditioning.

"That has really helped my attitude," she said. "I know I can outlast the opponent. That gives me more confidence."

Granville reached a career-high No. 28 ranking last June. But from then until last week, she won just 20 of 49 matches. She arrived in Vancouver having lost six in a row and 11 of her last 12; her ranking had dipped to 82nd.

"I didn't prepare well for the clay (season), and then I had some tough draws on grass," she said. "But when you lose, you lose confidence, and I'm just getting it back."

LONG DAY: Two other Americans weren't as lucky in third sets.

Teryn Ashley lost 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), 7-5 to Italian Flavia Pennetta, the seventh seed. And Lindsay Lee-Waters lost 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (1) to Russian Alina Jidkova.

JET LAG: Pennetta survived a two-day travel ordeal that she said left her tired two days later.

She won her first WTA event Saturday in Sopot, Poland. Then she flew to Italy, then to New York. After missing a connection to Cincinnati, she arrived here Monday.

"I am happy today because I was tired and I still tried to play and play and play," she said.

It took her two hours, 36 minutes to outlast Ashley.

Her title last week helped her jump from 68th to 45th in the world rankings, her career best. She was ranked No. 100 five months ago.

Today, Pennetta will face Rita Grande, her doubles partner and countrywoman, for the first time.

"It's very difficult for me to play her ... because we are friends," Pennetta said.

E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com