Farina Elia, Molik advance in Stockholm

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Italian Silvia Farina Elia and third-seeded Aussie Alicia Molik won Tuesday in the opening-round of the Nordea Nordic Light Open.

Farina Elia defeated Russian qualifier Anna Chakvetadze 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-3, and Molik beat Swedish wild card Hanna Nooni 7-5, 6-3.

Sixth-seeded Czech Denisa Chladkova advanced by beating Italian Roberta Vinci 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, but fourth-seeded Czech Iveta Benesova was ousted by Tatiana Perebiynis of Ukraine, 7-5, 6-3.

This week's top seed and defending champion, Israeli Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi, will open defense of her title against Hungarian Melinda Czink here on Wednesday.