Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the second round at the KDB Korea Open tennis tournament here Tuesday.
At the only annual Women's Tennis Association (WTA) event in South Korea, Wozniacki needed just over an hour to defeat Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.
At No. 11 in the world, Wozniacki is the highest-ranked player in the field this week. The 22-year-old Dane ended the 2010 and the 2011 seasons as the No. 1 WTA player.
Wozniacki broke the Dutch opponent four times and saved all three break points she faced in the easy victory. In the next round, Wozniacki will face Caroline Garcia of France.
The unseeded Garcia beat Alexandra Cadantu of Romania 6-2, 6-3, in Tuesday's first-round match.
Two Korean players were both knocked out of the first round Tuesday. Han Sung-hee, the highest-ranked Korean at No. 264, won just one game against the third-seed Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, who took the match 6-1, 6-0. Hong Hyun-hui lost to Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.
Lee So-ra, ranked 468 in the world, is the only South Korean left in the tournament. She will play her first-round match against the second-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia on Wednesday.
Julia Goerges of Germany was the only seeded player to be knocked out Tuesday. The No. 5 seed fell to Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain 6-1, 6(5)-7, 2-6.
Among other notables, Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm fell to Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia in the first round, and lost her bid to become the oldest-ever winner of a WTA tournament. The 41-year-old's last WTA victory came at the Korea Open in 2009. Billie Jean King, who won a title in 1983 at 39 years and seven months, still holds the record.
The Korea Open started in 2004 under the corporate sponsorship of Hansol, a local conglomerate with businesses in paper products, chemicals and construction. Starting this year, Korea Development Bank took over as the title sponsor and raised the total purse from $220,000 to $500,000.
Previous singles champions include multiple Grand Slam winners Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams. This year's final will be held Sunday. (Yonhap)