World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka knocked out Russian former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round of the Madrid Open on Sunday.
The Belarusian won 7-6, 6-4 to set up a second-round match with either Czech player Andrea Hlavackova or Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova.
Kuznetsova still holds the edge in the head-to-head record with Azarenka, having won four of their seven meetings.
Azarenka is chasing her fifth title of 2012 after winning her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open and tasting victory at the Sydney, Doha and Indian Wells events.
