Pennetta, Sharapova win in LA

CARSON, Calif., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Flavia Pennetta and Maria Sharapova were first-round winners Monday at the LA Women's Tennis Championships in Carson, Calif.

Pennetta, of Italy -- the 2008 runner-up -- eliminated American Varvara Lepchenko 6-2, 5-7, 6-0. Sharapova, of Russia, dropped Slovak Jarmila Groth 6-0, 6-4 to advance to a second-round match against third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

In other first-round action, 11th-seeded Virginie Razzano of France was eliminated by Russian Anna Chakvetadze 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Czech Lucie Safarova beat 15th-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); and American Jill Craybas beat16th-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.

Other first-round winners included Vania King, Ai Sugiyama, Yanina Wickmayer and Alona Bondarenko.

The top eight seeds drew a bye in the first round, which is scheduled to be completed Tuesday.