Wozniacki takes Australian Open opener

MELBOURNE, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki posted a straight-set victory Monday in opening her play at the Australian Open, the year's first major tennis tournament.

Wozniacki defeated Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-4. She didn't face a break point in the first set and was able to fight off seven of the eight Dulko forced on her in the second. Wozniacki had three breaks in the match.

Seeded women players went 14-2 on the opening day of the tournament, with losses by No. 17 Aravane Rezai, who fell to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-0, 3-6, 7-5, and 28th-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, beaten by Regina Kulikova 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 9-7, the exceptions.

Most of the Top 10 players in Monday's schedule advanced in straight sets. No. 4-seeded Venus Williams pounded out eight aces in a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Sara Errani, No. 8 Victoria Azarenka took out Kathrin Woerle 6-0, 6-2 in just more than an hour and ninth-seeded Li Na defeated Sofia Arvidsson 6-1, 7-5. However, sixth-seeded Francesca Schiavone was pushed in a 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-4 win over Arantxa Parra Santonja.

No. 15-seeded Marion Bartoli posted a double bagel against Tathiana Garbin, winning 75 percent of the points in a 6-0, 6-0 decision. Maria Sharapova, seeded 14th, made the second round by beating Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-3 and Justin Henin, last year's runner-up but who hasn't played a tournament since Wimbledon, got by Sania Mirza 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.

Other winning seeded players were No. 20 Kaia Kanepi, 21st-seeded Yanina Wickmayer, 23rd-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 29 Dominika Cibulkova, 30th-seeded Andrea Petkovic and No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova.