MASON, Ohio – Two seeds and two former Cincinnati champions were among the winners during the opening day session at the 2009 Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open.

Victoria Azarenka, the No. 9 seed, picked up a straight sets, 6-3 7-6(2), win over Kaia Kanepi to start the day on Center Court.

“She's a good player, had good results recently, so I was expecting a tough match,” Azarenka said following the match.

The eleventh seed Ana Ivanovic needed three sets to outlast American qualifier Melanie Oudin 2-6 6-1 6-1. Ivanovic led 4-1 in the final set when an afternoon thunderstorm hit, but quickly closed out the match once play resumed.

“On the break after the first set, I just tried to talk to myself and just try to convince myself I have to be aggressive and play the way I should play,” said Ivanovic. “That's what I did.”

The 2005 Cincinnati champion Patty Schnyder made quick work of her first round match against Gisela Dulko, winning 6-4 6-0.

Next up for Schnyder will be a match against former No. 1 Kim Clijsters, who won on Monday evening.

Anna Chakvetadze, the 2007 winner here, was also a straight sets winner, downing Elena Vesnina 7-5 6-3.

Anna-Lena Groenefeld was the first unseeded player to down a seed as she outlasted No. 16 Virginie Razzano 6-3 3-6 6-4.
 

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