CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AFP) - Top seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic is off to another strong start at the WTA Family Circle Cup, having beaten qualifier Alexandra Stevenson 7-5, 6-0 in her opening round match.

The defending champ Jankovic had failed to advance past the second round in three previous showings in the main draw of this 1.3 million dollar Tier I tournament before rolling to the title last season, dropping just one set in five matches on Wednesday.

That crown was one of four titles in a career year for the 23-year-old, who has yet to capture a championship this campaign.

Jankovic is coming off her first appearance in a final this season, losing to Serena Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open earlier in the month.

One of the top eight players to get a first-round bye, Jankovic's next opponent is Russian Anastasia Rodionova, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Aravane Rezai of France.

If Jankovic is going to repeat as champion, she might just have to do it against Maria Sharapova in the final.

The second-seeded Russian is probably the favorite for the title after she broke through with her first career claycourt title at the Bausch and Lomb Championships on Sunday.

Sharapova demolished American Bethanie Mattek 6-0, 6-0 in Wednesday's night match.

In early results, fourth seed Elena Dementieva made little work of American Jill Craybas, 6-0, 6-2. The Russian reached the final here in 2005.

Next up for Dementieva will be No. 13 Victoria Azarenka, a 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 winner over Tiantian Sun.

Seventh seed Patty Schnyder also moved into the third round with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 win over Olga Govortsova.

The Swiss player next will face No. 11 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, who dispatched Romania's Edina Gallovits, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 7-5.