Likhovtseva's lone win

Elena Likhovtseva made the fewer of many mistakes

In the only match on the opening day of the Sparkassen Cup in Leipzig, Russia's Elena Likhovtseva beat Germany's Jana Kandarr.

Kandarr, a wild card entrant for the event in her home country, fought valiantly in a match littered with mistakes before going down in straight sets, 6-4 6-4.

The 26-year-old Likhovtseva will play either her seventh-seeded compatriot Elena Dementieva or Austria's Barbara Schwartz in the second round.

The first round draw has been depleted after a host of withdrawals in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Serena Williams, her fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy, Justine Henin of Belgium and France's Sandrine Testud all decided to pull out of the event.

However the tournament will feature the return of Anna Kournikova to the women's circuit.

The Russian, who has been sidelined by a stress fracture in her left foot, has received a bye into the second round.

Other high profile participants include the defending champion Kim Clijsters, Nathalie Tauziat and Jelena Dokic, who are seeded one, two and three respectively.