Defending champion Petkovic wins at Gastein

BAD GASTEIN, Austria - Top-seeded Andrea Petkovic started the defense of her Gastein Ladies title yesterday with a 6-4, 6-0 first-round win over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.

The 35th-ranked German dropped serve three times but was in control of the match after winning the opening set against Benesova.

Petkovic, whose Gastein Ladies victory is her sole title, plays Alize Cornet of France in the second round.

Also, sixth-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova lost to fellow Czech Sandra Zahlavova, 7-5, 6-3. Zahlavova will play Ukrainian qualifier Lesya Tsurenko, who beat Mariana Duque Marino of Colombia, 6-3, 7-6 (6).

No. 4 Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic lost to Julia Goerges of Germany, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, and No. 5 Sybille Bammer of Austria was upset by Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia, 7-6 (10), 6-3.

Tathiana Garbin of Italy rallied to beat 2008 champion Pauline Parmentier of France, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. She will play Austrian wild-card Patricia Mayr, who routed Lenka Tvaroskova of Slovakia, 6-2, 6-0.

In other matches, No. 2 Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland eased past Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-1, 6-2, but No. 3 Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain lost to Yvonne Meusburger, 6-4, 7-5.