Linz, Austria (SportsNetwork.com) - Two-time champion Ana Ivanovic was an easy opening-round victor Tuesday at the Generali Ladies Linz tennis tournament.
The former world No. 1 Serbian star, seeded third this week, handled Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-2, 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at TipsArena Linz.
Ivanovic popped 10 aces and broke the 2009 Linz champion Wickmayer five times.
"The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. "She made me work hard, especially in the second set."
Ivanovic, who titled here in 2008 and 2010, will face fellow former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in her next outing in Austria's third- largest city.
In other first-round action involving seeds, No. 4 Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain spanked Czech qualifier Kristyna Pliskova 6-2, 6-3; No. 5 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium overcame Croat Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-2, 6-2; Austrian wild card Patricia Mayr-Achleitner upended No. 6 Sorana Cirstea of Romania 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; and No. 7 2011 Linz runner-up Dominika Cibulkova of the Slovak Republic came from behind to best German Annika Beck 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Former top-10 German Andrea Petkovic took out Austrian crowd favorite Yvonne Meusburger 6-3, 7-5, while additional Day 2 wins came for Italian Camila Giorgi, Ukrainian qualifier Maryna Zanevska, and Polish qualifier Katarzyna Piter. Giorgi took down last year's Linz runner-up, Julia Goerges, 6-2, 6-3.
This week's winner will claim $43,700.
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