INDIAN WELLS, California (AFP) - Daniela Hantuchova launched her defense of the Indian Wells women's title here Friday with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over US wildcard Angela Haynes.
Hantuchova, seeded fifth in a women's field headed by top seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and including Australian Open women's champion Maria Sharapova, needed just 66 minutes to subdue Haynes in blustery weather on the main stadium at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Like all 32 men's and women's seeds in this 5.7 million-dollar WTA and ATP Masters Series event, Hantuchova enjoyed a first-round bye.
The 24-year-old Slovakian, ranked eighth in the world, was delighted to be back in Indian Wells, where she has claimed two of her three career titles.
She was a teenager in 2002 when she upset Martina Hingis in the final to make her first WTA Tour title a prestigious tier one crown.
She didn't win another until her triumph here last year, which was followed by a victory at Linz later in 2007.
"It was an incredible feeling to be back on center court," Hantuchova said. "I definitely feel like it's my home out there. It was really windy, but I'm very glad how I handled the conditions."
Men's play on Friday saw the conclusion of the first round, with players vying for a chance to take on the likes of top seed Roger Federer, defending champion and second seed Rafael Nadal and third-seeded Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.
On the women's side, however, some of the marquee names at last swung into action on the third day of the tournament.
Sharapova, seeded, fourth, was to take on French qualifier Stephanie Cohen-Aloro in a second-round clash.
Sharapova, 20 and ranked fifth in the world, boasts a perfect 14-0 record in 2008, including her championship run in the Australian Open, a victory in Doha in February and two FedCup match wins.
Second-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, runner-up to Hantuchova here last year, headlined the night session against compatriot Ekaterina Makarova.
Eighth-seeded Russian Dinara Safina reached the third round with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 victory over American Jill Craybas.
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo of France, seeded 17th, opened her campaign against Romanian Edina Gallovits.
Mauresmo, who hinted at retirement earlier this year, is trying to bounce back after a 2007 beset by injury and illness, including an emergency appendectomy and a groin strain.
