Cibulkova, Wozniacki win in Sydney

AFP,  SYDNEY: Slovakia's world number six Dominika Cibulkova dropped just two games in blistering heat to win her opening match at the Sydney International on Monday.
The diminutive Cibulkova, who upset world number one Angelique Kerber to win the WTA finals in Singapore last October, swept past Germany's world number 31 Laura Siegemund 6-2, 6-0.
Cibulkova, who lost to China's Li Na in the 2014 Australian Open final, will next play Canadian wild card Eugenie Bouchard in the second round of the WTA lead-in tournament to next week's Australian Open.
Cibulkova, who lost to Agnieszka Radwanska in the Sydney final four years ago, was knocked out in the quarter-finals of last week's Brisbane International by France's Alize Cornet in straight sets.
Kerber and Radwanska, the top two seeds, have a bye into the second round at Sydney.
Former world number one and seventh seed Caroline Wozniacki dumped Olympic champion and last year's finalist Monica Puig out of the tournament 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Puig, who lost to Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in last year's final, had 12 break point opportunities but could only convert three, while Wozniacki put away three of four break points.
British sixth seed Johanna Konta was too strong for Australian Arina Rodionova 6-3, 6-4 and fellow Australian Samantha Stosur again bombed out in the first round, going out 6-3, 6-1 to Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Russian eighth seed Elena Vesnina withdrew with a lower back injury when trailing American Coco Vandeweghe 6-2, 4-0.
Russian-born Australian Daria Gavrilova advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) win over Croatia's Donna Vekic in a night match.

Cibulkova, Wozniacki win in Sydney

AFP, SYDNEY: Slovakias world number six Dominika Cibulkova dropped just two games in blistering heat to win her opening match at the Sydney International on Monday. The diminutive Cibulkova, who upset world number one Angelique Kerber to win the WTA finals in Singapore last October, swept past Germanys world number 31 Laura Siegemund 6-2, 6-0. Cibulkova, who lost to Chinas Li Na in the 2014 Australian Open final, will next play Canadian wild card Eugenie Bouchard in the second round of the WTA lead-in tournament to next weeks Australian Open. Cibulkova, who lost to Agnieszka Radwanska in the Sydney final four years ago, was knocked out in the quarter-finals of last weeks Brisbane International by Frances Alize Cornet in straight sets. Kerber and Radwanska, the top two seeds, have a bye into the second round at Sydney. Former world number one and seventh seed Caroline Wozniacki dumped Olympic champion and last years finalist Monica Puig out of the tournament 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Puig, who lost to Russias Svetlana Kuznetsova in last years final, had 12 break point opportunities but could only convert three, while Wozniacki put away three of four break points. British sixth seed Johanna Konta was too strong for Australian Arina Rodionova 6-3, 6-4 and fellow Australian Samantha Stosur again bombed out in the first round, going out 6-3, 6-1 to Russias Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Russian eighth seed Elena Vesnina withdrew with a lower back injury when trailing American Coco Vandeweghe 6-2, 4-0. Russian-born Australian Daria Gavrilova advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) win over Croatias Donna Vekic in a night match.