Irina Falconi, Gisela Dulko and Johanna Larsson all advanced to the second round at the Indian Wells tournament early on Thursday as their opponents withdrew with injuries.
Australia’s Jelena Dokic pulled out after just nine minutes in the first set with a right wrist injury, sending Dulko, of Argentina, into the second round, where she will face second seed Maria Sharapova.
Dulko has reached the quarter-finals in Indian Wells twice, in 2004 and 2006.
Sweden’s Larsson was 4-1 ahead in the first set when qualifier Greta Arn of Hungary retired from their match with a neck injury. Larsson will face former world number one Ana Ivanovic, who is seeded 15th, in the next round.
Arn reached the third round of the Australian Open and the semi-finals in Monterrey, Mexico, last month, where she lost to Romania’s Alexandra Cadantu.
American wild card Falconi advanced after Alexandra Dulgheru withdrew from their match with a right knee injury. Dulgheru won the first set 6-4 and was trailing 5-2 in the second when she pulled the plug.
Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson swept past Eleni Daniilidou of Greece in her opening match 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
The 28-year-old Arvidsson kept her unforced errors down to a minimum and won 65 percent of her second serve points in the one hour, 55 minute match.
The men’s side of the draw began play Thursday as wild card Sam Querrey defeated fellow American Tim Smyczek 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, Poland’s Lukasz Kubot beat Ivo Karlovic, of Croatia, 6-4, 6-2 and Italy’s Andreas Seppi rallied to defeat Olivier Rochus, of Belgium 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Bumps, bruises highlight Indian Wells first round
