V. Williams, Stosur take early Madrid wins

MADRID, May 5 (UPI) -- Venus Williams and Samantha Stosur notched victories but No. 7 seed Marion Bartoli fell Saturday on the first day of the Madrid Open.

Williams, a wild card at the Madrid event, overcame six double-faults in the final two sets to gut out a 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) victory over Simona Halep.

Fifth-seeded Stosur of Australia also needed a third-set tiebreaker to emerge with a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) decision over Croat Petra Martic on the blue clay surface at The Magic Box.

Bartoli, meanwhile, was upended by unseeded Sorana Cirstea, falling 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-3.

Other first-round winners Saturday included Li Na, Christina McHale, Silvia Soler-Espinosa, Petra Cetkovska, Mona Barthel and Klara Zakopalova.