Bammer Bammed by Benesova at WTA Portoroz

Bammer, who has been making inroads into the Top 50 in recent months after posting several solid results this season, including her very first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour semifinal at Pattaya City and a third round finish at Wimbledon, fought hard against Benesova, but in the end it was not enough, as the mother-on-Tour fell, 64 36 63. It was her first loss to Benesova in three meetings, having won their two prior meetings, at Cincinnati last season and at Charleston this season, in straight sets.

Benesova, a former Top 50 player herself, has had an up-and-down season, and comes into this week ranked No.74 in the world. She was impressive during the Australian swing in January, winning seven of 10 matches in reaching the Hobart final and the Australian Open third round, even notching her first career Top 5 win in Melbourne against Mary Pierce, in the second round. But since falling in two sets to Martina Hingis in the third round, she has not won consecutive matches in 17 Tour events, a slump that includes an 0-3 mark during the summer hardcourt season. But clearly, the young Czech is looking to turn her season around.

Other players who looked solid in their openers were Bulgarian teen Tsvetana Pironkova, a 61 61 winner over Croatian phenom Sanja Ancic; and Estonia's Maret Ani, who toughed out a 64 76(3) victory over Frenchwoman Camille Pin.

The remaining 13 opening round matches are all on tap for Tuesday, including top-seeded Slovenian star Katarina Srebotnik, who takes on Martina Sucha.

This is the second staging of the Tier IV Banka Koper Slovenia Open. One year ago, Klara Koukalova (now Klara Zakopalova) prevailed over Srebotnik in three sets in the championship singles final.
-- WTA