Myskina eager to have fun Michel Spingler/The Associated Press

The No 11 tennis player in the world will suit up for Springfield.

Tennis was fun for Anastasia Myskina when she played three seasons for the Springfield Lasers, and it was a lot of fun when she won the French Open in 2004.

Since then, however, the game hasn't always been as enjoyable. But the 24-year-old Russian thinks a return to the Ozarks-and to having fun on the tennis court-might be just what her game needs.

Myskina, who will make her return to the Lasers on July 10, spoke with local media on Monday in a teleconference from London, where she is preparing for next week's start of Wimbledon. She will play four matches for the Lasers this season, including three-July 10 vs. Hartford, July 13 vs. Kansas City and July 14 vs. St. Louis-at Cooper Tennis Complex. Myskina will also play for Springfield in a July 12 match at Kansas City.

"I don't like to change places a lot," Myskina said. "Springfield is a place I know really well. I feel comfortable with the people there and I'm ready to enjoy it again.

Myskina played for Springfield's World TeamTennis franchise each summer from 2001-03, and area fans were able to witness her rapid progression from a shy 20-year-old to one of the world's top players.

Ranked No. 59 in the world when she first arrived in Springfield, she cracked the top 10 less than two years later and beat Elena Dementieva in the finals at Roland Garros in 2004 to claim her first Grand Slam title.

Since that crowning achievement, though, Myskina has yet to get back to a Grand Slam final, and has reached the quarterfinals only once in her last eight tries.

Always an emotional player who wears her heart on her sleeve-even when she was dominating World TeamTennis-Myskina said the expectations she heaped upon herself after winning the French Open proved too much.

"It's always tough to defend a title, and there's a lot of pressure," she said. "I was putting pressure on myself and I couldn't handle it."

Myskia said it was only after she lightened up-at least a little, anyway-that she started to play better. She reached the round of 16 at both the Australian Open in January and the French Open earlier this month, where she lost to eventual champion Justine Henin-Hardenne. In the process, she worked her way back up to No. 11 in the WTA rankings.

"I'm playing much better this year than I did last year," Myskina said. "Now I'm enjoying every week that I get to play.

"I have this feeling that I want to play again."

After what she hopes is another deep run at Wimbledon (she was a quarterfinalist last year), Myskina will wing her way to Springfield for four matches in five nights with the Lasers. She says she's missed the team aspect of tennis, and looks forward to some of that old feeling.

"I want to get as many points for my team as I can when I'm there," she said. "...I really enjoy playing for a team and I wanted to play (WTT) again, especially for Springfield."