Today she proved that, contrary to her Russian lookalike in recent times, she can also play tennis – quite brilliantly.

So much so that it was the American girl’s tennis as much as her looks which turned heads at Roland Garros as she overcame ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova from Slovakia in a marathon three-setter full of pulsating drama which stretched over three hours and eight minutes.

Harkleroad, who lost after being ahead in the junior final here last year, eventually triumphed 7-6 4-6 9-7 but not before suffering the agony of being clawed back after leading 5-1 in the final set.

Those were the bare statistics of the match – but it is the personal statistics which have been such a matter of intrigue where 20-year-old Hantuchova is concerned this week.

In a tennis era when power is everything and many players aspire to the Tysonesque figure of Serena Williams, Hantuchova at 5ft 11in is built like a reed in the breeze, so thin that worries about her weight have been a source of continued debate.

She denies she is battling anorexia and has been eating the odd banana on court this week to boost her energy levels amid cruel jokes about her appearing in the ‘Unfed Cup’.

Her battling spirit in that final set, however, when many might have surrendered the match as a lost cause did much to allay fears about her health. And later she brushed aside questions that it was an issue.

“Not at all. I’m blessed that I can eat what I want,” said Hantuchova.

“When I play these long matches I burn so much that it is very difficult to get it all back.

“Physically I’m really fit. I felt well out on court and it had nothing to do with my physical side. More than anything it was the mental side that was not right today.”

To make things even more intriguing in the match of the tournament so far the pair, as stipulated in their Nike contracts, were wearing identical outfits, down to dress, shoes and socks – though they were somewhat more reserved than the ‘Tankini’ tank top and shorts, which Harkleroad wore at the 2001 US Open when as a junior she was handed the privilege of playing on Arthur Ashe court.

What it meant to Harkleroad, who turned 18 three weeks ago and is no longer tied by stipulations on the number of tournaments she can play, could be seen in the way she skipped over to hug her agent in the crowd at the end of the match.

There had been tears too, of frustration, and a little anger when the match seemed to be going away from her.

“At five-six down in the third set I said to myself ‘I’m not going to lose this’,” said Harkleroad.

“I focused on my breathing. The tears? I was so tight and wanting it so bad. That’s the fighting spirit coming out. I’ve always been very feisty and a fighter. I’m going to fight every single match every single day.”

And of her comparison with Kournikova, with whom she regularly practices, she said: “A lot of people have compared me to Kournikova and it’s a compliment for me. She is a sweet girl, she’s very pretty and we get on great, we laugh and talk a lot.

“I’m trying to stay focused on tennis and if I do that everything else will fall into place.”

Undoubtedly, Harkleroad today gave us a glimpse of tennis’ future, though elsewhere it was decidedly routine in the women’s draw.

Defending champion Serena Williams was far too powerful for Switzerland’s Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian, coasting into the third round with a 6-3 6-2 victory.

Fourth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne from Belgium brushed aside Croatia’s Jelena Kostanic 6-2 6-2 and American eighth seed Chanda Rubin beat Zimbabwe’s Cara Black 7-6 6-3.

Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder silenced the home crowd with a 6-3 7-6 triumph over Frenchwoman Stephanie Cohen-Aloro and 16th seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan eclipsed Sandra Kleinova of the Czech Republic 7-5 6-0.