Pavlyuchenkova opens with a win at Kremlin Cup

MOSCOW (AP) Fifth-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova started her Kremlin Cup campaign with a win on Tuesday, beating 16-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-3, 6-4.

MOSCOW (AP) Fifth-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova started her Kremlin Cup campaign with a win on Tuesday, beating 16-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-3, 6-4.

Pavlyuchenkova, the world No. 30, will now meet either Alison Riske of the United States or fellow Russian Daria Kasatkina, a wild card entrant, in the second round.

Palvyuchenkova is chasing her second WTA title of the year after winning the Open GDF Suez in Paris in February.

There was an upset earlier when France's Caroline Garcia, seeded eighth, lost 6-4, 6-2 to Moscow-born Serbian Aleksandra Krunic, who is ranked 73 places below her in 109th.

In the men's draw, U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic, seeded second, will face Evgeny Donskoy in the second round after the Russian wild card beat Israeli Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-0.