Mason, OH – After enjoying an opening-round bye, former world No. 1 and reigning Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka was a second- round winner Tuesday at the $2.369 million Western & Southern Open tennis event.
The second-seeded Belarusian star handled American qualifier Vania King 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) on the hardcourts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
Posting first-round wins on Day 2 were Germans Andrea Petkovic and Mona Barthel and American Varvara Lepchenko, who held off Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
This week's winner will earn $426,000. The tournament is part of the U.S. Open Series, or the North American hardcourt events that lead up to the U.S. Open, which will commence August 26.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.