Mauresmo back with impressive win
 |  Mauresmo has missed two events because of an abdominal injury |
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ROME, Italy -- Amelie Mauresmo began the defense of her Rome Masters title with a 6-2 6-0 second-round win over Australia's Samantha Stosur on Wednesday.
There was disappointment, however, for fourth seed Elena Dementieva, who became the highest-ranked casualty when she lost 7-5 6-4 to Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
Dementieva, 23, withdrew from last week's Berlin Open with a hip injury but was one of the favorites in Rome after reaching the finals at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadow in 2004.
From the start, the Russian was dragged around the court by Dulko's precise and consistent groundstrokes.
Having lost the first set, Dementieva dropped her opening service game of the second to go 3-0 behind.
The Russian found her timing to break back but a pair of errors as she served to stay in the match gave Dulko two match points, which the Argentine converted when Dementieva dumped a backhand into the net.
The world number five joined compatriots Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Likhovtseva in exiting the tournament, though wins for seventh seed Nadia Petrova and sixth-seeded Vera Zvonareva meant the Russians retained their formidable presence at the event.
Petrova, who reached the final in Berlin, confirmed her recent good form with a 6-3 6-1 win over Italy's Mara Santangelo, while Zvonareva saw off the challenge of Serbia and Montenegro's Jelena Jankovic 6-4 6-1.
Barely tested
Second seed Mauresmo, who received a bye in the opening round, was barely tested by Stosur.
"I felt it was close at the beginning, then I put my level up a little higher. 6-2 6-0 is a great way to start the tournament," said the Frenchwoman, who has appeared in four of the past five Rome finals.
"I think I played a real claycourt game today, with a lot of spin, and trying also to come in when I was able to, when she put the ball a little shorter.
"I'll try to get that trophy again but it's going to be tough. Obviously, I'll just take it match by match."
She next faces 13th seed Silvia Farina Elia, who beat French qualifier Stephanie Cohen-Aloro 6-3 6-3.
The Italian should be a much tougher test for Mauresmo, who saved two match points on the way to beating her in the quarter-finals of last season's Rome tournament.
"That was a hard match. I remember the conditions -- rainy and cold. Hopefully, we'll have better weather this time," said Mauresmo.
There were also wins for four-time former champion Conchita Martinez, who beat Israel's Anna Smashnova 3-6 6-1 6-1, and 1997 winner Mary Pierce, who set up an intriguing third round clash with top seed Maria Sharapova by defeating Sanda Mamic 6-4 6-4.
