Bammer wins first-rounder in India

BANGALORE, India, March 3 (UPI) -- Sixth-seeded Sybille Bammer rallied for a first-round victory Monday in opening-day play at the $600,000 Bangalore Open tennis tournament in India.

Bammer, seeded sixth, dropped the first set but came back for a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Akiko Morigami and head into the second-round.

Fifth-seeded Agnes Szavay had an easier time in her first-round match, dispatching Shikha Uberoi 6-1, 6-4. She moved into the second round against Akgul Amanmuradova, who defeated defending champion Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the first round.

In the fourth match Monday, Aiko Nakamura topped Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-2.

The tournament's top four seeds -- including No. 1 Jelena Jankovic -- were given first-round byes. Venus and Serena Williams are in the Bangalore field this year and could meet in the tournament semifinals. They are seeded second and third, respectively.

The 2008 Bangalore Open champion will earn $95,500.