Barthel is first winner at Hobart International

HOBART, Australia, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Sixth-seeded Mona Barthel was straight-set winner Sunday as the WTA's Hobart International began.

Barthel was on the court only 62 minutes in topping Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-3 in the only first-round match on Sunday's schedule. The tournament begins in earnest Monday and wraps Saturday, ahead of Jan. 13's first matches of the 2014 Australian Open.

Barthel won 56 percent of the points on serve and finished with six breaks. She had four first-set breaks, taking 63 percent of the points off Svitolina's serve in the set, and was 2-for-2 in break opportunities in the second set.

Samantha Stosur is the top seed in Hobart with defending champion Elena Vesnina seeded third.