Vera Zvonareva extended her dominance over Nathalie Dechy to nine successive wins by 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the Family Circle Cup on Monday.
Zvonareva just missed a first-round bye with her ninth seeding, but found a familiar foe in French veteran Dechy, who was a quarter-finalist last year.
"We're friends off the court," Zvonareva told reporters at a chilly Charleston. "But as soon as we step on the court we try to be professional and play our best tennis."
France's Marion Bartoli advanced to the second round when she beat Shenay Perry of the US 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. Bartoli set up a match against Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino, a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Vania King.
Czech player Nicole Vaidisova was the top seed, and she'll open against Dutch wild card Michaella Krajicek, who routed Russia's Alina Jidkova 6-4, 6-0.
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