CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) Sixteenth-seeded Polona Hercog needed more than two hours to beat qualifier Natalie Grandin 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4 on Monday in the first round at the Mercury Insurance Open.
Only two seeded players saw action in a tournament hard hit by injuries. No. 2-ranked Kim Clijsters, who skipped Wimbledon because of an ankle injury, pulled out with the same injury. Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova withdrew because of a pulled abdominal muscle. A groin injury knocked out two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.
Alexa Glatch of the United States beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-2; Elena Baltacha of Britain defeated American Melanie Oudin 6-0, 6-1; Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson beat Ashley Weinhold of the U.S. 6-3, 6-1; and American Jill Craybas beat Marie-Eve Pelletier of Canada 6-1, 6-1.