MEMPHIS, TN, USA - The first three matches of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & the Cellular South Cup took place on Sunday in Memphis, with a New Zealander, a German and an American making the second round.

Kristina Barrois of Germany was the first to advance, beating Slovakia's Jarmila Groth, 62 57 76(3). Barrois had three match points earlier in the third set - one leading 5-2 and two more leading 6-5 - but ended up needing the deciding tie-break to finish off her hard-hitting opponent. She will next face No.7 seed Alla Kudryavtseva or qualifier Michaella Krajicek, who play their first round match in Memphis on Monday.

New Zealand's Marina Erakovic and American Melanie Oudin were the next two to advance, after Erakovic downed American Julie Ditty, 76(4) 60, and Oudin beat countrywoman Jill Craybas in a lengthy three-setter, 63 46 64. Erakovic, seeded No.5, and Oudin, a wildcard, will play each other in the second round.

The first doubles match of the week also took the court, with Krajicek and Yuliana Fedak beating No.4 seeds Liga Dekmeijere and Ekaterina Dzehalevich, 64 63.

Six of the seven other seeds in the draw - No.2 seed Victoria Azarenka, No.3 seed Lucie Safarova, No.4 seed Anne Keothavong, No.6 seed Sabine Lisicki, Kudryavtseva and No.8 seed Pauline Parmentier - will play their first rounds on Monday. Top seed Caroline Wozniacki will play her opener on Tuesday, taking on Jelena Dokic, who made a scintillating run to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open just a few weeks ago, and a qualifier into this week's draw.