Venus Williams advances in Stuttgart

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Wimbledon champion Venus Williams highlighted Tuesday's action at the $650,000 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix with an easy opening-round win.

The sixth-seeded Williams defeated German Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-1, 6-2.

In other Tuesday action, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland defeated Czech Sandra Zahlavova 6-3, 6-2 and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka beat Hungarian Agnes Szavay 7-5, 6-3.

Also, Russian Nadia Petrova breezed by Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-2, 6-2, Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova eliminated France's Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1 and Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli defeated Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 6-1.

Top-seeded U.S. Open champion Serena Williams will meet Chinese Na Li and fourth-seeded Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva will face Austria's Sybille Bammer in the second round Wednesday.