BEIJING, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Defending champion Agnes Szavay collected a first-round victory Tuesday at the $600,000 China Open hard-court tennis tournament.
Szavay, who upset Jelena Jankovic in winning the China Open title a year ago, posted a steady 6-4, 6-3 win over Yaroslava Shvedova and advanced to the second round.
Eighth-seeded Anna Chakvetadze recorded a 6-4, 7-5 win over Iveta Benesova in her match Tuesday while sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska trailed Jie Zheng 3-0 when their match was suspended because of rain.
It wasn't a good day for the host Chinese, whose players lost four matches. Alla Kudryavtseva stopped Shuai Peng, 7-5, 6-4; Ai Sugiyama swept by, Zi Yan 6-3, 6-4; Alize Comet defeated Shuai Zhang, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7); and Francesca Schiavone was a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) winner over Na Li.
Aleksandra Wozniak and Tamarine Tanasugarn also had first-round wins Tuesday.
Jankovic, this year's top seed, opens her China Open play on Wednesday.
