Flushing Meadows, NY -- (Sports Network) - Reigning Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia and former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and Lindsay Davenport of the United States were among the winners on the first day of action at the 2008 U.S. Open.

Dementieva, the fifth seed and 2004 U.S. Open finalist, dismissed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. Kuznetsova, the third seed and 2004 U.S. Open winner, was a 6-4, 6-2 victor against China's Shuai Zhang, while Davenport, the 1998 Open champ and the 23rd seed, downed Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-4, 6-2.

Later in the day, under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, second-seeded Jelena Jankovic had little trouble getting by American Coco Vandeweghe, as the Serb cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 thrashing.

No. 8 seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia blew past Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-4, 6-3, while Marion Bartoli of France and Swiss Patty Schnyder were other seeded winners. Bartoli, the 12th seed, upended Russian Galina Voskoboeva, 6-2, 6-3, and the 15th-seeded Schnyder needed three sets to shake Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

The same couldn't be said of 10th-seeded Anna Chakvetadze and Maria Kirilenko, who entered the tournament as the 22nd seed. Chakvetadze fell to fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, and fellow countrywoman Kirilenko had her grand slam hopes stopped early by Tamira Paszek of Austria, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Another minor upset saw China's Na Li eliminate Israel's Shahar Peer, the 24th seed, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Also Monday, 14th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win over Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic and 25th-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone earned a 7-5, 7-5 triumph against Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives.