Wednesday, July 19 2006 15:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Cincinnati (Ohio): Swiss star Patty Schnyder's title defence got off to a rough start as she posted a 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) win over Lilia Osterloh in the opening round of the Western and Southern Financial Group Open.

Top seed and defending champ Schnyder dropped the second set before winning a third set tiebreaker.

Ranked eighth in the world, Schnyder claimed her 10th and most recent career title here last year with a 6-4, 6-0 triumph over Akiko Morigami of Japan.

The Swiss native had a much harder time with the 108th-ranked Osterloh.

Pulling even following a stellar second set, Schnyder fell behind, 4-1, in the third before fighting off a match point and rolling in the tiebreaker.

She next will face another American, either Alexa Glatch or qualifier Abigail Spears.

The only other seed scheduled Monday was No. 4 Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, who advanced in a walkover when Melinda Czink of Hungary suffered a right shoulder strain. Srebotnik will face either Meng Yuan of China or Marian Diaz-Oliva of Argentina in the second round.

The highlight of this 175,000 dollar hardcourt event is the return of seven-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.

Williams, 24, has not played since January's Australian Open because of a left knee injury.

She began the year ranked 11th in the world but has slipped to 140th due to inactivity.

The two-time US Open champion will have a difficult assignment early as she faces second seed and 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina in a first-round match Tuesday.

In one of the other two matches Monday, Emma Laine of Finland advanced with a 6-3, 6-1 rout of Austrian Sybille Bammer.