TOKYO — Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka eased into the third round of the Pan Pacific Open with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Austria's Tamira Paszek Tuesday. Two-time champion Maria Sharapova had a tougher time subduing British qualifier Heather Watson 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4, while 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the fourth-seeded player, was upset by Petra Martic of Croatia 6-4, 6-4. Other winners included Grand Slam champions Li Na and Sam Stosur, former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska. Azarenka played her first match since losing in the US Open final to Serena Williams. “This was my first match after a little break and that's never easy,” she said. “But I was able to play some good tennis and I enjoyed it.” Next up will be Roberta Vinci of Italy, who beat qualifier Pauline Parmentier of France 6-3, 6-1. Watson pushed Sharapova to three sets in their last match at the 2011 US Open, and did it again by winning a marathon tiebreaker in the first set. The second-seeded Sharapova took control of the third set when she broke Watson's serve for 4-3. She sealed the win when Watson sent a forehand return long. Sharapova's next opponent, Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, moved on when compatriot Klara Zakopalova was unable to play because of a left wrist injury. Kvitova said she had trouble establishing her game against the hard-hitting Martic, who was playing her second tournament since recovering from a foot injury at the French Open. This was the biggest win of her career. Li defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, and Stosur overcame Francesca Schiavone 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. Wozniacki beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (3), 6-1, while the third-seeded Radwanska defeated Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-2, 7-5. Also advancing were Angelique Kerber of Germany, Sara Errani of Italy, Marion Bartoli of France and Nadia Petrova of Russia. Verdasco, Troicki win openers In Bangkok, former finalists Viktor Troicki of Serbia and Jarkko Nieminen of Finland won their first matches at the Thailand Open Tuesday. Troicki, runner-up in 2009, beat Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-3, letting slip being up by a break in each set. He was also breaking in new rackets he received 10 days ago. Nieminen, the finalist two years ago, advanced while leading 6-1 against Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita, who retired with an ankle injury. The fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain beat Tatsuma Ito of Japan 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. Japanese qualifier Hiroki Moriya earned his first win on the tour this year when he beat Robin Haase of the Netherlands 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, and Dudi Sela of Israel downed Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies
