Top seed and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki lost her first career encounter with Aravane Rezai 6-4 1-6 6-3 in the opening round of the AEGON International. Wozniacki was playing her first match on grass this year, and lost to Rezai who was coming off a semifinal appearance in Birmingham last week, where she pushed eventual champion Li Na to three sets.
Just like Wozniacki, second-seeded Francesca Schiavone was playing her first grass court match of the season and also said goodbye already in the beginning, falling to Sorana Cirstea 7-5 6-3. Playing her first tournament since winning the French Open, the 2009 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Schiavone fought hard to stay in both sets but lost her first match as a Top 10 player.
On the other hand, fifth seed Kim Clijsters was playing her first match on grass since 2006 and handily defeated fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1 6-1. (photos: Stephane Martinache, © Neal Trousdale)
