WTA: Bondarenko wins Istanbul opener

Istanbul, Turkey (Sports Network) - Rising Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko was among Monday's first-round winners at the $200,000 Istanbul Cup tennis event.

The fifth-seeded Bondarenko, a runner-up to world No. 1 Justine Henin in Warsaw earlier this month, blew past Turkish wild card Pemra Ozgen 6-1, 6-0.

Seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland also advanced, by beating Russian Ekaterina Bychkova 7-5, 7-5.

Other opening-day wins came for Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova, Italian Romina Oprandi, France's Aravane Rezai and Croat Jelena Kostanic Tosic.

This week's top seeds are a pair of Russians, U.S. Open champion and Australian Open runner-up Maria Sharapova and two-time major finalist Elena Dementieva. Sharapova will open her stay against Pironkova, while Dementieva will face Kostanic Tosic in the second round. Sharapova and Dementieva received opening-round byes.

The 20-year-old Sharapova will play her first tennis since late March, as she had been sidelined by injuries.

Former world No. 1 and 2005 Istanbul champion Venus Williams is also part of this week's field. The five-time Grand Slam champ is seeded fourth here.

Istanbul serves as a final tune-up for the French Open, which will commence Sunday in Paris. Indian Shahar Peer bested Russian Anastasia Myskina in last year's finale here, but neither player is entered in this year's draw.

This week's titlist will pocket $28,180.