Henin, Sharapova ousted at Madrid

MADRID, May 9 (UPI) -- Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova made surprising first-round exits Sunday in the first round of the Madrid Open.

Henin, fresh off a win at Stuttgart, Germany, last week, was bounced by Aravane Rezai of France, who rallied to down the Belgian star 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Eleventh-seeded Sharapova found herself on the losing end of a 6-4, 6-3 score to Czech Lucie Safarova. Sharapova, the former world No. 1, has been nursing an elbow injury since the Indian Wells event earlier this year.

No. 4 seed Venus Williams, meanwhile, took her first-round match against Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland 6-4, 6-2.

Also winning Sunday in Madrid were ninth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and 15th-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone.