MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Third-seeded Melanie Oudin defeated Anastasia Pivovarova 6-4, 6-0 at the Cellular South Cup on Monday night after the top two seeds in the women's draw of the tournament were upset.
No. 1 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, of the Czech Republic and ranked 56th, was eliminated 6-1, 6-3 by Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands.
No. 2 Sofia Arvidsson, a Swede who won her first title at the 2006 Cellular Cup, dropped a 6-3, 6-1 match to Alexandra Stevenson of the United States. Arvidsson also was a finalist last year, losing to champion Maria Sharapova, who did not return this year to defend her title.
Oudin, who took just under an hour to win her match, was aware the other seeds were struggling through the day.
It's crazy with all the seeds falling,'' she said.It doesn't really matter. It's nice that I'm seeded, but anyone can really beat anyone. But I'm happy to be one of the seeds that got through.''
Oudin had her serve broken in the fifth game of the first set. But after Pivovarova held serve in the next game to lead 4-2, Oudin recorded two service breaks, including a forehand winner at the net that capped a long rally.
That was part of a 10-game run that sent the 19-year-old from Marietta, Ga. to the second round against Evgeniya Rodina of Russia, a 1-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5) winner over Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia earlier Monday.
Oudin's strategy was to get Pivovarova on the run, but she had trouble with the plan early in the match.
The thing was, I knew I was missing when I shouldn't have been missing,'' Oudin said of the early games.On some of her serves, I was missing only by a little on returns. If I could just get the return back and get in the point, that was what I wanted. I wanted to get in the points with her and make her run. Most of the time when I made her run, I'd win the point.''
In addition to the top two seeds departing, fifth-seed Olga Govortsova of Belarus dropped a three set match to qualifier Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Sixth-seeded Rebecca Marino, of Canada, defeated American Jamie Hampton 6-4, 6-1.
On the men's side, eighth-seed Kevin Anderson of South Africa lost to American Robert Kendrick 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Anderson was the only seeded player in Monday's opening round of the men's draw.
Top-seeded Andy Roddick and fifth-seeded Sam Querrey open play Tuesday night, while Milos Raonic and second-seeded Fernando Verdaso play Wednesday in a rematch of Sunday's final at San Jose.
Raonic defeated Verdasco of Spain, the ninth-ranked player in the world, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) for his first title.