Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka started off her last tournament before the season-ending WTA Championships by beating Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-0, 6-2 Wednesday in the first round of the Generali Ladies.
US Open champion Samantha Stosur suffered another Wimbledon nightmare as the Australian fifth seed crashed out in the second round on Wednesday.
Second seed Kim Clijsters crashed out of the French Open on Thursday but insisted she had no regrets over her decision to return to Paris after a five-year absence and injury-plagued build-up.