Olympic champion Monica Puig returned to winning ways with an easy win over Varvara Lepchenko in the first round of the Toray Tennis tournament in Tokyo on Monday.
The world number 34, who was dumped out in the first round of the US Open by Saisai Zheng last month, needed only 74 minutes to cruise past Lepchenko 6-0 6-3 and book her place in round two.
In an all-Japanese first-round tie, wild card Naomi Osaka got the better of higher-ranked compatriot Misaki Doi with a 6-4 6-4 win.
On the opening day of the Guangzhou Open in China, Croatian third seed Ana Konjuh was the biggest name in action and she reached the next round with a 6-2 6-2 win over Tatjana Maria of Germany.
Fifth seed Alison Riske saw off Chinese qualifier Fang Ying Xun 6-3 6-3 and sixth seed Danka Kovinic beat another Chinese player, Yafan Wang, 6-3 6-4.
China did enjoy some success with Lin Zhu defeating Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-4 6-3, while American Jennifer Brady beat Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia, who retired when trailing 4-6 6-4 4-0.
In the Korea Tennis Open in Seoul, eighth seed Louisa Chirico beat China's Duan Yingying 7-5 6-3, but American seventh seed Nicola Gibbs was beaten 5-7 6-4 6-2 by Monica Barthel of Germany.
Jana Cepelova saw off local favourite Lee So-ra 6-3 6-4, and Camila Giorgi saw off another South Korean player, Han Na-lae, 6-3 6-2.
Romania's Patricia Tig came from behind to beat New Zealand's Marina Erakovic 2-6 7-5 6-4, and Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo beat Tamira Paszek of Austria 6-1 6-3.
Source: PA
