Mason, OH – Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova advanced, but former Cincinnati champion Jelena Jankovic and ex-French Open titlist Francesca Schiavone were opening-round upset victims Monday at the WTA's $2.168 million Western & Southern Open.
The 11th-seeded Cibulkova topped Uzbekistan qualifier Akgul Amanmuradova, 6-3, 6-4 on the hardcourts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
The 13th-seeded Jankovic, a former world No. 1 and 2009 Cincinnati champion, had five match points, but fell to China's Peng Shuai, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (10-8) in a battle that took three hours and was delayed by rain in the final set. Jankovic was last year's runner-up here to Russian star Maria Sharapova, who is not defending her title this week.
The 14th-seeded Schiavone succumbed to wild card and fellow Italian Camila Giorgi 6-1, 6-3
Meanwhile, Hungarian lucky-loser Timea Babos bested American Varvara Lepchenko 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, while Greek Eleni Daniilidou defeated American and fellow qualifier Vania King 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6).
Also on Day 1, Swedish qualifier Johanna Larsson whipped Aussie Casey Dellacqua 6-1, 6-3; Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues drubbed Romanian Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0; German Julia Goerges topped Israeli Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-3; German Mona Barthel handled Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-0, 6-4; and Polish qualifier Urszula Radwanska defeated Kazakhstan's Ksenia Pervak, 6-2, 6-4.
This week's top seeds are Agnieszka Radwanska, Wimbledon and Olympic gold medal champion Serena Williams, U.S. Open titlist Sam Stosur and last year's Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova.
Williams captured a pair of gold medals at the London Games two weeks ago.
"It was really awesome to win both medals at the Olympics," said the 30-year- old star. "I just want to keep playing well and doing the best that I can.
"More Slams obviously is what I want to go for. I definitely have goals that I want to try to reach," the former world No. 1 added.
Williams will face the aforementioned Daniilidou in the second round.
The 2012 Cincinnati champion will earn $385,000.
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