Dr. J is in the house as daughter loses in first round of tourney

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Julius Erving watched his daughter Alexandra Stevenson play tennis for the first time Tuesday in a first-round loss at the Family Circle Cup.

Erving, wearing a black sweatsuit and a black and white baseball cap, watched from the porch of the players’ clubhouse as Stevenson lost to Akul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-2, 6-4.

It’s been a decade since the 28-year-old Stevenson learned that Dr. J was her father, about the time she made the Wimbledon semifinals.

“We were never in a bad place, I just didn’t know him,” Stevenson said. “So it’s good now.”

It was a better day for two other Americans. Bethanie Mattek-Sands advanced with a 7-6 (3), 7-5 win over Marina Duque Marino of Colombia, and unseeded Shenay Perry upset 15th-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycovia of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-1.

Monte Carlo

Third-seeded Novak Djokovic and No. 4 Andy Murray each won in straight sets to reach the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Djokovic cruised in a 6-1, 6-2 win against Oscar Hernandez of Spain, while Murray began slowly before easing past Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 6-2.

Marat Safin of Russia beat Lleyton Hewitt 6-4, 7-5. Also in the second round, sixth-seeded Gilles Simon lost 7-5, 6-1 to Andreas Beck.

Barcelona

Maria Kirilenko opened defense of her title with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Camille Pin of France.