Wozniacki, Azarenka reach second round in Big Apple

Flushing Meadows, NY – World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and seeded Victoria Azarenka were easy opening-round winners Tuesday at the 2011 U.S. Open.

The 2009 U.S. Open runner-up Wozniacki blew past Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-3, 6-1 on Day 2 at Ashe Stadium.

Wozniacki, who captured a fourth straight New Haven title this past weekend, leads the WTA with six championships this season, but failed to get past the fourth round at the last two Grand Slam events.

The 21-year-old Dane is still seeking her first-ever major title.

The Belarusian Azarenka, meanwhile, handled overmatched Swede Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-3 in 70 minutes at Ashe.

"There are always things that could have been done better, but I think I had a pretty solid start," Azarenka said. "I kept control of the match, so it's important, you know, to have that control in the opening rounds."

The 22-year-old Azarenka reached her first career Grand Slam semifinal last month at Wimbledon. The U.S. Open is the only major event where she has failed to reach a quarterfinal.

Former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic eased her way past Pittsburgh native Alison Riske 6-2, 6-0. The 11th-seeded Serbian Jankovic was the U.S. Open runner-up three years ago.

Meanwhile, 22nd-seeded German Sabine Lisicki stayed hot by leveling Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-3, 6-3 and 26th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta pasted France's Aravane Rezai 6-1, 6-4 on the grounds at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The rising Lisicki was last week's hardcourt titlist in Dallas, where she beat Rezai in the final, and reached her first career major semi at the All England Club last month.

Lisicki's second-round opponent will be unseeded Venus Williams, the former world No. 1 who is a seven-time Grand Slam champ, including U.S. Open titles back in 2000 and 2001.

"We played twice, and twice we had a very, very good match," Lisicki said about her upcoming bout with Venus." So, you know, I think it really depends who plays better that given day and that person will win, I think."

Twentieth-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer handled Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 7-5, while 31st-seeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi topped Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-3.

Another first-round win came for Argentine veteran Gisela Dulko, who should have her hands full with Azarenka in the round of 64.

Several other women reached the second round, including American teenager Coco Vandeweghe, who dismissed Italian Alberta Brianti 7-5, 6-3. The 19-year-old Vandeweghe is the niece of former NBA player, coach and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe.

Up next for Vandeweghe will be ninth-seeded former French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur of Australia.

This year's women's U.S. Open singles champ will pocket at least $1.8 million, and U.S. Open Series winner Serena Williams, seeded 28th here, has a shot at earning a record $2.8 million in the Big Apple. The three-time U.S. Open titlist Serena has won her last 12 matches overall and will see action here on Tuesday night.