By Jack Massey
Amelie Mauresmo, the French World No.23, was among a host of big-name upsets at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo overnight.
The veteran star continued her form struggle in 2008, losing 0-6, 6-1, 7-6(8) to Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova. Despite starting brilliantly, not conceding a game in the opening set, she soon lost her confidence, double faulting five times in the second set before losing in three.
Meanwhile, the 7 th and 8 th seeded Daniela Hantuchova and Anna Chakvetadze also lost their first round matches.
Hantuchova, the 25-year-old Slovak, has struggled since suffering a right foot stress fracture in spring. The World No.12 admitted she may have returned from injury too soon, and this was shown as she lost 6-1, 7-5 to Italian Francesca Schiavone.
Chakvetadve continued her poor year, losing 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to Estonian qualifier, Kaia Kanepi. She was playing her first tournament since losing in the opening round of the US Open to Ekaterina Makarova, and the rust showed.
There were no such worries for sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who breezed through her first match against wildcard Aiko Nakamura, winning 6-1, 6-4. She will next face Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, who defeated Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-2.
Ayumi Morita, Alize Cornet and Flavia Pennetta also posted victories. Whilst Pennetta comfortably defeated Shahar Peer, Cornet and Morita had more trouble, both winning in three sets. Cornet triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 over Aleksandra Wozniak, as Morita won 6-7 (7-9), 7-5, 6-4, defeating Hungarian Agnes Szavay.