Wozniacki rolls past Giorgi in first match on grass

EASTBOURNE, Great Britain - Caroline Wozniacki continued a banner day for former champions at the Nature Valley International on Monday, as she dispatched the always-dangerous Camila Giorgi in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

The top seed and 2009 champion joined 2008 champion Agnieszka Radwanska, 2016 champion Dominika Cibulkova, and defending champion Karolina Pliskova as a winner on day two of main draw play, with 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova already recording a win on Sunday.

"You need to get into the rhythm of the match, and it took me a few games but then it felt really great to be back out here," Wozniacki said after the match.

"She started off well. I didn't get a first serve in on my first service game, and I was kind of in trouble. I was lucky to break her back to that 2-1 game, and then I kind of found my way into the match and started playing some good tennis."

The Dane continued: "She hits the ball very hard and she has big serves, but for me, it's about waiting for the one moment where I had an opportunity and then trying to get that one. Even though the score says 6-2, 6-3, it was a tough match and tighter than the score suggested."

In her first match since falling in the fourth round of the French Open, the World No.2 needed just 76 minutes to safely advance to the third round.

Wozniacki won the last six games of the opening set after falling behind an early break and hardly looked back from there to kick off her 10th appearance in Eastbourne with a victory. 

Wozniacki struck 14 winners to just 11 unforced errors over the course of the match, as Giorgi nearly doubled her total in both categories (23 and 29) in defeat.

The top seed also converted on six of the nine break point chances she held overall to score her third career win against the Italian - all of which have come on grass.

Up next for the Australian Open champion is either Libéma Open winner Aleskandra Krunic or British No.1 Johanna Konta.

"Either way, it's going to be another tough match and another good one. I'm just happy to get myself tested on the grass this week, and this one was a great test for me, a great one leading up to Wimbledon," Wozniacki said. "It's going to be fun and challenging. That's what I'm here for."