Easy passage for Petrova

Russian ninth seed Nadia Petrova has won through to the second round of the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles.

The highest seeded played in action on Tuesday, Petrova defeated qualifier and compatriot Alina Jidkova 6-0 6-4.

Italian No.10 seed Flavia Pennetta routed Canadian qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1 6-0 to set up a date in the second round with Austrian Tamira Paszek.

Slovak 15th seed Dominika Cibulkov downed Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-4 6-3.

Russian qualifier Regina Kulikova, ranked 201 in the world, will meet Australian Sam Stosur in the second round after upsetting Elena Vesnina 6-4 4-6 6-2.

Stosur, the lone Australian in the tournament, upset Israeli 12th seed Shahar Peer on Monday.

Results from the first round of the East West Bank Classic, Los Angeles
9-Nadia Petrova (Russia) def. Alina Jidkova (Russia) 6-0 6-4
10-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) def. Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) 6-1 6-0
15 Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) def. Monica Niculescu (Romania) 6-4 6-3
Peng Shuai (China) def. Julie Ditty (USA) 6-4 6-2
Regina Kulikova (Russia) def. Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-4 4-6 6-2