Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova has set up a second-round clash with Spanish tenth seed Anabel Medina Garrigues at the WTA Tour’s Charleston tournament after a hard-fought victory in the opening round on Monday.
Rodionova beat qualifier Melanie Czink 6-2 2-6 6-1 to advance while world No.27 Medina Garrigues defeated qualifier Melanie Oudin 6-4 4-6 6-0 as the main draw action got underway at the clay court event.
The 98th-ranked Rodionova will have her work cut out for her when she faces clay court specialist Medina Garrigues, who has won 10 WTA titles on the surface – more than any other active player.
Medina Garrigues finished with one ace, one double fault and won 62 per cent of her first serve points in the two hour, 29 minute match.
Former US Open quarter-finalist Oudin had two double faults and won 54 per cent of her second-serve points.
Rodionova was the only Australian to post a victory on Monday with 16th seed Jarmila Gajdosova bowing out to Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-4 2-6 6-4.
Jelena Dokic meanwhile was forced to withdraw from her first-round match due to injury, down 4-3 in the first set to Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan.
It is the second time in a month Dokic has succumbed to the same wrist injury after lasting just nine minutes in her opening-round match at Indian Wells in March before withdrawing.
Unseeded Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak outlasted American 11th seed Christina McHale 7-5 5-7 6-4 in a two hour, 48 minute marathon match.
Wozniak, a former world No.21, fired three aces and won 70 per cent of her first-serve points.
In other matches on Monday, 14th seed Polona Hercog cruised past Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-4 6-3; Argentine up-and-comer Paula Ormaechea surprised No.15 seed Chanelle Scheepers 6-1 1-6 6-4.
Australian world No.5 Samantha Stosur begins play on Tuesday against Jamie Hampton who defeated fellow American Sloane Stephens 7-5 7-6 (7-1) while former winner Serena Williams will face Elena Vesnina of Russia, who beat Canada’s Stephanie Dubois 7-6 (12-10) 7-5.
