NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP)—Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki beat Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 6-0 on Sunday to begin play at the New Haven Open.
The match was the first in the main draw. The top seeds take the court Monday and Tuesday.
Lisicki, from Germany, never trailed against the Frenchwoman and won the first five games of the second set, which was interrupted by a brief rain delay.
Just four of the top-10 players in the world are participating in the final tune-up before the U.S. Open.
Top-seed is Sara Errani is joined by Angelique Kerber of Germany, defending champion Petra Kvitova, and Caroline Wozniacki, who is looking for her fifth New Haven title in six years.