BBC
Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki won in the Nature Valley International first round at Eastbourne, but new world number one Ashleigh Barty has withdrawn with a right arm injury.
World number 14 Wozniacki, 28, beat Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens 6-3 6-4.
Australia’s Barty won the Birmingham title on Sunday to top the rankings, but said she must “rest and recover” before Wimbledon starts on 1 July.
Denmark’s Wozniacki will play German Andrea Petkovic in the second round.
“It’s an injury we’ve had to manage since I was 16 years old,” explained Barty, who won her first singles Grand Slam at the French Open earlier this month.
“When I have a spike in load it comes up – it’s a bone stress injury and I need to look after it, particularly in these first few days. We know how to manage it but it’s important to get on top of it straight away.”
World number three Karolina Pliskova played her second-round match after a first-round bye and enjoyed a straightforward win, beating Margarita Gasparyan 6-3 6-3.
World number eight Elina Svitolina, also playing in the second round after a first-round bye, was a set and break down to Alize Cornet when play was suspended for the day because of rain.
Julia Gorges, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, has withdrawn through illness, along with world number 12 Anastasija Sevastova, who is out with a right thigh injury.
