Troubled Anna Kournikova was at a loss to explain her continuing slump after a 6-7, 6-3, 6-1 exit last night against Italian Rita Grande.

The misty-eyed golden girl admitted: "I didn't play well at all. I was doing everything wrong.

"I've had a few losses like that, so it's not getting any better right now.

"Of course I'm concerned. I don't know what to think any more. I'm just trying to play through it.

"I've had some other things happening to me recently and my life has changed in other ways. Maybe it's part of that."

Kournikova will attempt to arrest a desperate run of eight first round defeats in her last ten tournaments against Panova at Wimbledon next week.

Meghann Shaughnessy, an American despite having a name straight from the Emerald Isle, certainly enjoyed the luck of the Irish on No. 1 court yesterday.

The world No. 14 saved three match points against qualifier Vanessa Webb before scraping through to the second round 6-7 7-6 7-6.

At one stage 23-year-old Shaughnessy, who is seeded fifth at Eastbourne, looked to be on her way out as she struggled against the gutsy Canadian.

Shaughnessy smashed her racquet in frustration in the second set before clawing through to book a second round with Rita Grande.