Charleston, SC (SportsNetwork.com) - Former runner-up Lucie Safarova was an easy opening-round winner Monday at the Family Circle Cup tennis event.
The ninth-seeded Czech doused Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-3 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. Safarova was a finalist here two years ago and captured back-to-back doubles titles in 2012 and last year.
American Lauren Davis leveled German Dinah Pfizenmaier 6-1, 6-4, while South African Chanelle Scheepers overcame American Alison Riske 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Davis will face former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in the second round.
Also advancing on Day 1 were France's Virginie Razzano, Brazil's Teliana Pereira and Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova.
Serena Williams has won the last two titles and is a three-time Charleston champ. The world No. 1 star topped the 2007 titlist Jankovic in last year's finale.
Williams and Jankovic are this week's top seeds.
