Mon Aug 25 15:45:28 2008

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Kuznetsova, Dementieva, Davenport win at U.S. Open

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Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Reigning Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia and former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and Lindsay Davenport of the United States were among the winners on the first day of action at the 2008 U.S. Open.

Dementieva, the fifth seed and 2004 U.S. Open finalist, dismissed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. Kuznetsova, the third seed and 2004 U.S. Open winner, was a 6-4, 6-2 victor against China's Shuai Zhang, while Davenport, the 1998 Open champ and the 23rd seed, downed Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-4, 6-2.

Other seeded winners were Marion Bartoli of France and Swiss Patty Schnyder. Bartoli, the 12th seed, upended Russian Galina Voskoboeva, 6-2, 6-3, and the 15th-seeded Schnyder needed three sets to shake Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

One minor upset saw China's Na Li eliminate Israel's Shahar Peer, the 24th seed, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Also Monday, 14th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win over Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic and 25th-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone earned a 7-5, 7-5 triumph against Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives.

The top woman in action Monday will be second-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic, who takes on American Coco Vandeweghe. World No. 1 and top-seed Ana Ivanovic, the French Open champion and Aussie Open runner-up, gets under way Tuesday against Russian Vera Dushevina.