Relaxed Muhammad cruises

Asia Muhammad didn't spend enough time on the court Wednesday to get nervous.

The 18-year-old Las Vegan, who received a spot in the field as a wild-card entrant, won her opening-round match in the $50,000 Lexus of Las Vegas Open, needing just 46 minutes to dispose of seventh-seeded Heidi El-Tabakh, 6-0, 2-0 as El-Tabakh retired due to illness early in the second set.

"I was very relaxed out there," said Muhammad, who faces fellow American Lauren Albanese at 11:30 a.m. today at Red Rock Country Club. "I think I played really well. My serve was good, and I stayed with the game plan."

The plan was to keep El-Tabakh on the run, make her go side-to-side and pin her on the baseline. The fact El-Tabakh wasn't 100 percent physically made Muhammad's task that much easier. El-Tabakh had trouble keeping the ball in play throughout, resorting to a grip-it-and-rip-it philosophy, which didn't work well.

"I knew she was going to try to blast the ball, so I tried to put it in spots and make it hard for her," Muhammad said.

Muhammad's forehand return was deadly, as El-Tabakh was unable to run down many shots.

Muhammad's right ankle, which she had sprained a week ago in a tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., was not a problem. She didn't get rattled when El-Tabakh called for the trainer after Muhammad broke her serve three times in the first set. Nor was she bothered by having to retrieve loose balls, which slowed play. There were no ball boys or ball girls.

"I could tell something wasn't right with her," Muhammad said of El-Tabakh, who complained of nausea and retired after Muhammad broke her for the fourth time early in the second set. "But I just focused on what I was doing."

Muhammad doesn't get to play at home often, but when she does, she excels. In March 2008, she reached the finals of the ITF's Mirage Cup in the Tennis Channel Open. With her family and friends showing up to support her, she appears to be in a good place mentally this week.

"It doesn't feel like a tournament," Muhammad said. "It feels like I'm doing my everyday stuff. Sleeping in my own bed instead of a hotel. It's nice to have the crowd with you. Everything is positive."

Muhammad and Albanese have never played. In addition to their singles match, they'll face each other in doubles in the 4 p.m. featured match on the stadium court. Muhammad and Coco Vandeweghe won their first-round match Tuesday, and Albanese and Madison Brengle also advanced.

"I think playing doubles Tuesday helped me (Wednesday)," Muhammad said. "It gave me a chance to get familiar with everything and get any nerves out of my system."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.