Los Angeles, July 22:

With top seeds Jelena Jankovic and Serena Williams waiting in the wings to test their ailing knees, Samantha Stosur and Melinda Czink notched upset wins at the $600,000 WTA hardcourt tournament here on Monday.

Hungary’s Czink, a lucky loser who only made it into the draw after Svetlana Kuznetsova withdrew with a knee injury, ousted France’s 13th-seeded Virginie Razzano 6-3, 6-3. Australia’s Stosur steamrolled 12th-seeded Israeli Shahar Peer 6-1, 6-1. Top-seeded Serbian Jankovic and the rest of the top eight players received first-round byes.

Jankovic will be playing for the first time since hurting her right knee at Wimbledon, where she limped out in the fourth round with a loss to Tamarine Tanasugarn. Jankovic, 23, could take over the world No 1 ranking from compatriot Ana Ivanovic with a victory here this week.

Fitness is also a question for second-seeded American Williams, who withdrew while trailing from her semi-final match in Stanford, California, on Saturday with a sore left knee. Williams is scheduled to open on Wednesday against Czech Petra Kvitova — a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 winner over Russian Alisa Kleybanova.

The tournament has already lost several big names to injury, including Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport and Kuznetsova. Austrian Sybille Bammer got off to a quick start, winning the first 11 games en route to a 6-0, 6-4 victory over US qualifier Ahsha Rolle.

India’s 16th seed Sania Mirza also advanced, defeating Czech qualifier Eva Hrdinova 6-3, 6-4.

Toronto Masters

TORONTO: French ninth seed Richard Gasquet took early aim at a dream repeat of his 2006 final at the Toronto Masters, making the first step with a first round defeat of Michael Llodra 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 here on Monday.

Two more Europeans also advanced. Swiss ninth seed Stan Wawrinka beat Italian Simone

Bolelli 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) while recovering Nicolas Kiefer, back after wrist problems over the last

two seasons, stopped American Mardy Fish 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).