A two-time major champion, Mauresmo came from behind to beat fellow Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-4. Mauresmo reached a final here five years ago.

In other opening-day play, Russian wild card Vera Dushevina beat Czech Nicole Vaidisova 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 and Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova defeated France's Marion Bartoli 6-1, 4-1. Bartoli retired in the second set.

This week's top seeds are world No. 1 Serbian Jelena Jankovic, Russian favorites Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva, and another Serb, Ana Ivanovic. Jankovic, fresh off her back-to-back titles in Beijing and Stuttgart, was this year's U.S. Open runner-up.

Safina reached the finals at the French Open and Olympic Games, Dementieva captured a gold medal in Beijing, and Ivanovic won the French Open and was runner-up at the Australian Open. Dementieva defeated Serena Williams in last year's Moscow finale.

Wimbledon champ Venus Williams is seeded sixth.