Mauresmo, Peer advance in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Amelie Mauresmo and Shahar Peer each collected straight-set victories Monday in the first round of the $2.5 million Qatar Total Open tennis tournament.

Mauresmo, seeded 14th this week, had some problems in the first set before closing out a 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 win over Sabine Lisicki and Peer, seeded 12th, took over Andreja Klepac 6-3, 6-4.

Other seeded players picking up wins Monday were No. 15 Sybille Bammer, who defeated Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-3, and 16th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Akiko Morigami 7-5, 6-0.

No. 10-seeded Nadia Petrova was eliminated when she withdrew due to gastritis, a decisions that allowed Anabel Medina Garrigues to advance.

Also winning first-round matches were: Dominika Cibulkova, Tamarine Tanasugarn, Maria Kirilenko, Vera Zvonareva, Virginie Razzano and Zi Yan.

The top eight seeds, including No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, were given first-round byes.

The 2008 Qatar Total Open winner will take home $414,000.