NEW HAVEN (Conn): Caroline Wozniacki launched her bid for a fifth straight New Haven WTA title on Monday with a 6-3, 6-3 first-round victory over Russia's Ekaterina Makarova.
Caroline, seeded third in a field headed by Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska, needed an hour and 21 minutes to book a second-round clash with Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over lucky loser Melanie Oudin of the United States.
A fifth successive title in the hard-court tune-up for the US Open would put former World No 1 Caroline in elite company. Only Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have won the same WTA Tour title five or more times in a row.
She improved to 18-0 lifetime at the tournament and extended her career dominance over Ekaterina, who hasn't managed to win a set from the Dane in their four meetings.
Fourth-seeded French Open runner-up Sara Errani also advanced, rallying from 2-5 down in the second set to seal a 6-4, 7-5 victory over unseeded American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia also advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues while seventh-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko cruised past Shahar Peer of Israel, 6-2, 6-2.
Qualifier Olga Govortsova of Belarus defeated lucky loser Vera Dushevina 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-2 to set up a clash with Poland's Agnieszka, who enjoyed a first-round bye as did second-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.
Petra will open her campaign against Nicole Gibbs, a US qualifier playing in just her third WTA main draw. Nicole defeated fellow qualifier Alexa Glatch in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. AFP
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