Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Top seed Lucie Safarova and two-time defending champion Magdalena Rybarikova both came up first-round losers Tuesday at the Citi Open, a U.S. Open Series tennis event.
France's Kristina Mladenovic upended the Wimbledon semifinalist Safarova of the Czech Republic, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, while the Slovakian Rybarikova succumbed to second-seeded Russian left-hander Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-1 in a mere 52 minutes on the hardcourts at FitzGerald Tennis Center.
Rybarikova beat German Andrea Petkovic in last year's finale to capture a second straight title in the U.S. capital.
Fourth seed Sloane Stephens was beaten by fellow American Christina McHale, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.
Meanwhile, the 2012 D.C. runner-up to Rybarikova, fifth-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, moved on Tuesday by blitzing French journeywoman Virginie Razzano 6-2, 6-2.
Also on Day 2, New Zealand's Marina Erakovic overcame Czech Kristyna Pliskova 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; American Lauren Davis upended China's Peng Shuai, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2; Serbian Bojana Jovanovski defeated Australian qualifier Olivia Rogowska, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-5; and Belgian Kirsten Flipkens upended Great Britain's Heather Watson, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3).
The 2014 D.C. champion will claim $43,000.
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