<p>The world number one was not at her absolute best after a two-month break and struggled with the scorching temperatures, but could not have been happier with her form leading into the first Grand Slam of the year. <br /><br />Russia's Dinara Safina also opened her new season with a win but had to work much harder before toppling Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. <br /><br />Russia's defending champion Elena Dementieva beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchokova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 while Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan 6-1, 5-7, 7-5, leaving four of the original eight seeds in the women's draw. <br /><br />The only high-profile casualty was Russia's French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was beaten 7-5, 6-2 by Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.<br /><br />Medina wins<br /><br />Spanish top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues came from behind to beat Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 at the Hobart International on Tuesday. Medina Garrigues recovered from her slow start to run away with the match and set up a quarterfinal against Gisela Dulko, who beat Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-1, 0-6, 7-6.<br /><br />Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, the fourth seed, beat Alize Cornet of France 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. She will play Zheng Jie in the quarterfinals after the Chinese player beat compatriot Peng Shuai 6-2, 6-1, in the Australian Open warmup. <br /><br />In Auckland, former champion Philipp Kohlschreiber beat first round opponent Inigo Cervantes-Huegun 6-2, 6-3 at the Auckland Open. Kohlschreiber plays Thomaz Bellucci in the second round after the Brazilian beat Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 6-3, 6-3 on Monday.</p>
<p>The world number one was not at her absolute best after a two-month break and struggled with the scorching temperatures, but could not have been happier with her form leading into the first Grand Slam of the year. <br /><br />Russia's Dinara Safina also opened her new season with a win but had to work much harder before toppling Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. <br /><br />Russia's defending champion Elena Dementieva beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchokova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 while Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan 6-1, 5-7, 7-5, leaving four of the original eight seeds in the women's draw. <br /><br />The only high-profile casualty was Russia's French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was beaten 7-5, 6-2 by Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.<br /><br />Medina wins<br /><br />Spanish top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues came from behind to beat Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 at the Hobart International on Tuesday. Medina Garrigues recovered from her slow start to run away with the match and set up a quarterfinal against Gisela Dulko, who beat Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-1, 0-6, 7-6.<br /><br />Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, the fourth seed, beat Alize Cornet of France 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. She will play Zheng Jie in the quarterfinals after the Chinese player beat compatriot Peng Shuai 6-2, 6-1, in the Australian Open warmup. <br /><br />In Auckland, former champion Philipp Kohlschreiber beat first round opponent Inigo Cervantes-Huegun 6-2, 6-3 at the Auckland Open. Kohlschreiber plays Thomaz Bellucci in the second round after the Brazilian beat Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 6-3, 6-3 on Monday.</p>
