JOIN USFormer world number one Caroline Wozniacki squeezed through to the second round of the Pan Pacific Open, just one day after ending a 13-month title drought in South Korea.
The Dane battled past Serb qualifier Bojana Jovanovski 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 in a match halted for an hour in the third set by lightning flashes and torrential rain.
Serb Ana Ivanovic, another former world number one who is seeded 11th this week, progressed by beating Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, 2-0 when the Czech retired with a thigh injury.
Ninth seed Marion Bartoli of France bundled out Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-1, 6-4 -- just four days before the local favourite's 42nd birthday.
Italy's former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone squeezed past Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 to set up a second-round match with Australian Samantha Stosur.
Russia's Nadia Petrova overpowered Peng Shuai 6-1, 6-4, ousting one of three Chinese taking part despite their country's fierce political row with Japan over disputed islands.