Linz: Ana Ivanovic started her quest for a third Generali Ladies title by defeating Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-2, 6-4, while second-seeded Sloane Stephens overcame a slow start to beat Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-1 in the first round on Tuesday.
The third-seeded Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and '10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. "She made me work hard, especially in the second set."
Ivanovic next plays another former French Open champion, Francesca Schiavone of Italy. Stephens dropped her first two service games but the 12th-ranked American broke Rybarikova three times to take the opening set.
Stephens, who had lost her only previous match against Rybarikova, held serve throughout the second set for a convincing victory. The American will next face Andrea Petkovic. The German led 5-2 in the second set against Yvonne Meusburger of Austria but was broken twice while serving for the match before wrapping up a 6-3, 7-5 victory.
Earlier, Camila Giorgi of Italy upset last year's finalist Julia Goerges of Germany 6-2, 6-3. The 105th-ranked Giorgi, who won three qualifying matches to reach the main draw, avoided break points and converted the second match point on her serve.
"It was a good match," said the Italian, who broke Goerges three times. "I feel well on these hardcourts and I will try to keep going." In the second round, Giorgi faces fifth-seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium, who rallied to beat 17-year-old Donna Vekic of Croatia 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Austria's Patricia Mayr-Achleitner, who entered on a wild card, came back from a set down to defeat sixth-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Also, Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain and Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium advanced to the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies.
The No. 4-seeded Suarez Navarro defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-4. In her seventh quarterfinal of the season, Suarez Navarro will play the fifth-seeded Flipkens, who routed Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-2, 6-1.
In a first-round match, Karin Knapp of Italy overcame six double-faults to defeat 2007 champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Alexandra Cadantu of Romania beat Melanie Klaffner of Austria 7-6 (4), 6-2 and will play either top-seeded Angelique Kerber or fellow Romanian Monica Niculescu.
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