A pair of WTA Tour veterans and an American newcomer earned victories on Monday at the U.S. National Indoor Championships in Memphis.
This WTA International event is held at the Racquet Club of Memphis.
Top-40 player and tournament No. 1 seed Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium opened the day on Stadium Court against Shahar Peer of Israel, but it wasn't much of a match.
Flipkens blasted five aces on the quick indoor courts to post the 6-2, 6-2 victory in just over an hour.
"I played well," said a confident Flipkens. "It's a good start."
She move on to play on Wednesday in the second round.
Another winner on Stadium Court was defending champ Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden who dispatched a qualifer in Jana Cepelova 6-4, 6-4.
Arvidsson will next meet the player she met in last year's final Marina Erakovic of New Zealand.
The biggest surprise of the day may have been the play of American teenager Victoria Duval.
Looking taller and stronger that she appeared at last year's U.S. Open, Duval won a tight three-set match with an experienced WTA player in Johanna Larsson.
Duval overcame six double faults, but won 69% of her first serve points to win 3-6. 6-1, 6-3. Duval was a wildcard entry into the event since her ranking sits at No. 451. She will move up when the new rankings come out next week.
She will next take on the winner of a match that will be played later Monday night.
Women's play in singles and doubles continues at the Racquet Club of Memphis through Saturday.
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