Petko advances in Paris

Paris, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Former top-10 star Andrea Petkovic was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at the GDF Suez Open in Paris.

The German blew past Serbian Bojana Jovanovski 6-2, 6-3 on the indoor hardcourts at Stade Pierre de Coubertin.

Also on Day 2, Italian Karin Knapp whipped Spanish qualifier Lara Arruabarrena 6-4, 6-1; Frenchwoman Alize Cornet outlasted Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 5-7, 6-2; Slovakian veteran Daniela Hantuchova got past New Zealand's Marina Erakovic 6-3, 3-0, retired; and Austrian Yvonne Meusburger topped German qualifier Anna-Lena Friedsam 7-5, 6-1.

This week's top seeds are former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, her fellow former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, and former French Open finalist Sara Errani, who was last year's GDF Suez runner-up to German Mona Barthel. Kvitova titled here three years ago.

Sharapova will open up against Hantuchova, while Kvitova will take on Cornet and Errani will meet Knapp in the round of 16.

This week's champion will claim $132,000.