Budapest, Hungary – Surging Romanian Simona Halep was an easy opening-round victor Monday at the $235,000 Hungarian Grand Prix tennis event.
The third seed whipped Kazakhstan's Sesil Karatantcheva 6-3, 6-0 on the red clay at Romai Tennis Academy.
The 21-year-old Halep is now 12-1 in her last 13 matches, including her first- ever WTA titles in Nuremberg, Germany, and Den Bosch, Netherlands, in back-to- back weeks last month.
In other action involving seeds, No. 4 German Annika Beck whipped Slovenian Tadeja Majeric, 6-1, 6-2, No. 5 Swede Johanna Larsson handled Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena 6-2, 7-5, and No. 7 Spaniard Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor dismissed Russian Nina Bratchikova 6-1, 7-5.
Another result saw Hungarian wild card Agnes Bukta best Czech Sandra Zahlavova 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).
This week's top seeds are Czech Lucie Safarova and France's Alize Cornet, who titled here back in 2008.
Former French Open runner-up Sara Errani beat Russian Elena Vesnina in last year's Budapest finale.
The 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix champion will earn $40,000.
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