India's Sania Mirza made a winning return to action after her wedding to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik as she defeated Chan Yung-Jan 6-1, 6-4 in the first round here on Monday. Sania had taken several months off from tennis to focus on her personal life before controversially marrying Malik in April. But, with the storm of controversy dying down, Mirza has been able to return to tennis and she quickly rediscovered her rhythm on the Birmingham grass-courts as she swatted aside Chan, a 20-year-old from Taipei. Sania also suggested that she might have only two more years on tour. Meanwhile, Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2008, cruised through as the 14th seed won 6-2, 6-2 against Lilia Osterloh of the US. Britain's Laura Robson advanced to the second round when her Swiss opponent Stefanie Voegele retired with a back injury in the second game of the second set. Croatia's Mirjana Lucic, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 1999, gave a glimpse of a talent that seemed to have been lost for good as she beat Mariana Duque Marino 6-1, 6-2. Sesil Karatantcheva, a Sofia-born Kazakhstani, continued her rehabilitation from a drugs suspension as she beat Britain's Katie O'Brien 6-3, 6-4. There was also success for Michelle Larcher De Brito, the Portuguese teenager best known for the ear-piercing scream she lets out before most strokes. Larcher De Brito moved into the second round with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Ekaterina Dzehalevich. Gasquet wins in return Richard Gasquet won his first match on grass in nearly two years Monday to reach the second round of the Queen's Club tournament. The No. 11-seeded Frenchman defeated Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 6-3 after missing the entire 2009 grass-court season because of a drug suspension. His last match on the surface was against Andy Murray in the 2008 Wimbledon fourth round. Robby Ginepri set up a clash with No. 7-seeded fellow American Sam Querrey by overcoming British wild card James Ward 6-3, 7-5. Other seeded winners on the opening day were No. 9 Julien Benneteau over Arnaud Clement 6-2, 6-4, 12th-seeded Michael Llodra of France beating Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-2 and 16th-seeded Denis Istomin who dismissed Jamie Baker of Britain 6-1, 6-4. The top eight seeds received byes into the second round. Rafael Nadal will begin his bid to regain his title and heads a field that includes four-time winner Andy Roddick, defending champion Andy Murray and 2008 runner-up Novak Djokovic. Ferrero ousted in opener Former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero was ousted in the first round of the Gerry Weber Open by 203rd-ranked Dominik Meffert of Germany 6-3, 7-5 Monday. The fourth-seeded Ferrero, a winner of two titles on clay this year, reached the last quarterfinals in his last appearance in Halle five years ago, but couldn't break Meffert and succumbed under a barrage of 16 aces. Meffert took charge with a break in the second game for his first win on the ATP main tour since July 2008. He was in the draw as a lucky loser, after the withdrawal of countryman Michael Berrer with an ankle injury. Schiavone jumps to No. 6 Italy's Francesca Schiavone jumped 1l places to a career best world No. 6 in the WTA rankings released Monday, after winning the French Open title at the weekend. Serena Williams retains the No. 1 ranking as the top five places remained unchanged. However, there was great movement between number six and 20. Last year's Roland Garros finalists Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina from Russia, dropped 13 and 11 places respectively.
