Azarenka routs 19th-seeded Bammer at Italian Open

ROME -- Unseeded teenager Victoria Azarenka routed 19th-seeded Sybille Bammer 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Italian Open on Tuesday before play was suspended due to rain.

The highly touted Azarenka continued her strong form from the last two weeks, when she lost to eventual champion Dinara Safina at the German Open and posted a runner-up finish at the Prague Open.

She is ranked a career-high 19th this week, but had to ask for a wild card because she decided late to enter the tournament.

Azarenka, an 18-year-old who is from Belarus but resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, improved to 19-9 this year.

The 22nd-ranked Bammer was granted a seed when Safina withdrew due to a back injury.

Also, Italian wild card Roberta Vinci held off Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi 6-4, 4-6, 6-0; Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia defeated Gisela Dulko of Argentina 7-6 (7-1), 6-4; and Tsvetana Pironkova eliminated Klara Zakopalova 6-4, 6-2 in a matchup of two qualifiers.

Further play was suspended due to afternoon rain at the Foro Italico, and the bulk of the day's schedule was to be completed Wednesday.

Both Williams sisters will now play their opening matches Wednesday.

Seventh-seeded Venus faces Samantha Stosur and No. 5 Serena takes on Alona Bondarenko in this clay-court warmup for the French Open, which begins May 25.