Defending champ Safina advances in Paris

PARIS, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Defending champion Dinara Safina advanced at the Open Gaz de France on Monday by beating her fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze in the first round.

Safina defeated Chakvetadze, 6-2, 6-1, in just under an hour.

Unseeded last year, Safina upset Amelie Mauresmo in the final. Mauresmo, the 2006 Australian Open champion, is this week's top seed.

Safina, 19, is the younger sister of men's star Marat Safin.

French wild card Stephanie Foretz beat eighth-seeded German Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-1, 1-6, 6-0. Another French wild card, Emilie Loit, beat Italian Roberta Vinci 6-2, 6-1.

Mauresmo's fellow top-two seed this week is her countrywoman Mary Pierce. Both received opening-round byes.