Quebec City, QC – Reigning champion Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak posted first-round victories Tuesday at the $220,000 Bell Challenge tennis event.
The sixth-seeded Czech Zahlavova Strycova got past Canada's own Marie-Eve Pelletier 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 on the indoor carpet at PEPS Laval University.
Zahlavova Strycova defeated New Zealand's Marina Erakovic in last year's Quebec City finale.
Wozniak, the No. 4 seed, outlasted Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Croat Petra Martic and eighth-seeded Czech Lucie Hradecka each topped an American. Martic bested lucky-loser Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 and Hradecka advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) triumph over qualifier Maria Sanchez.
Also reaching the second round were Americans Melanie Oudin and qualifier Lauren Davis.
Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, Slovenian Petra Rampre, Georgia's Anna Tatishvili, French qualifier Kristina Mladenovic and Croatia's Mirjana Lucic rounded out Tuesday's winners.
The top seed here is Slovak Dominika Cibulkova, who will play her opening-rounder on Wednesday against Belgian Kirsten Flipkens.
This week's champion will earn $37,000.
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