Tomljanovic off to flying start in Birmingham

Injury-plagued Ajla Tomljanovic has continued her build-up to Wimbledon, where she is a two-time quarter-finalist, with a comfortable straight-sets opening-round win at the Birmingham WTA 250 event.

After losing in the quarters to compatriot Olivia Gadecki at Surbiton in southwest London last time out, the 31-year-old completed a 6-2 6-1 drubbing in 77 minutes of Russia's Anna Blinkova, whom she has now beaten in all three clashes.

Tomljanovic, the current world No.190, next meets China's Zhu Lin, who beat Romanian third seed Sorana Cirstea 7-6 (7-2) 6-2.

Australia's top-ranked female, at world No.85, Daria Saville meets second seed Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).

Defending champion and top seed Jelena Ostapenko was knocked out by Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

The Latvian, ranked 13th, won her second career title on grass last June but was beaten 6-3 6-3 at Edgbaston Priory by Cocciaretto, who needed seven match points to make it over the line.

The Italian will next face American former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who saw off China's Yuan Yue by the same scoreline, while former Flushing Meadows runner-up Leylah Fernandez wasted little time dispatching Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-1 6-1.

In Berlin, 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova returned to the grass with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Spain's Rebeka Masarova in the WTA500.

The fifth-seeded Czech also beat the Masarova to start the French Open.

Last year, Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon by beating Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-4 in the final.

Vondrousova will face Anna Kalinskaya in the second round.

There were also wins for Katarina Siniakova, Daria Kasatkina and Zaynep Sonmez.

With AAP & AP.