Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova cruised past Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round of the Porsche Grand Prix on Tuesday.
The third-seeded Kuznetsova won the French Open last year for her second Grand Slam title and is using the Stuttgart event to warm up for the defense of that crown.
The Russian brought her career record against Srebotnik to 3-2.
PHOTO: EPA
Srebotnik was once No. 20 in the world before dropping to No. 385.
She was coming back after missing eight months of last season with various injuries and has been eliminated in the first round of all five of her tournaments this year.
In another first-round match, fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland defeated former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 7-6 (4), 6-4.
PHOTO: EPA
Other winners included Agnes Szavay of Hungary, who beat Andrea Petkovic of Germany, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Li Na of China, Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria Shahar Peer of Israel and Anna Lapushchenkova of Russia also reached round two.
■GRAND PRIX SAR
AP, FEZ, MOROCCO
Defending champion Anabel Medina Garrigues and top-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro advanced to the second round of the Grand Prix SAR on Tuesday.
The third-seeded Medina Garrigues, who won her ninth last career title here a year ago, needed only 45 minutes to thrash 18-year-old wild card Lina Bennani of Morocco 6-0, 6-0, while Suarez Navarro labored to a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 win against Anna Floris of Italy.
The second-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland rallied to beat Greta Arn of Hungary 4-6, 7-5, 6-1, and No. 5 Angelique Kerber of Germany routed wild card Fatima Zahrae El Allami of Morocco 6-0, 6-1.
No. 6 Petra Martic of Croatia, and No. 8 Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic both lost.
The tournament at Royal Tennis Club de Fes is the only WTA Tour stop in Africa.
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