Azarenka, Kvitova Cruise in Opening Round at U.S. Open

On the sidelines for most of 2015 with shoulder and leg injuries, Victoria Azarenka was a 6-1, 6-2 winner Tuesday in her first round match against Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic at the U.S. Open.

“I couldn't wait to get out there and play my match,” said Azarenka. “New York is always going to be a very special place for me regarding the history that I had in the past. I just feel that it's such an exciting stage. You know, it's the last Grand Slam of the year, so there's a lot of attention. But there is also a great energy and great atmosphere.”

Azarenka’s win was not without controversy, as get got into a heated exchange with Aurelie Tourte at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Azarenka said, "Have you ever played tennis?"

"Yes," replied Tourte.

"You did? You probably weren't very good," shot back the Belarusian.

In her 10th U.S. Open, Azarenka will next face Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium in the second round. Azarenka defeated Wickmayer in 2012 in their only career meeting at the Qatar Total Open.

Garbiñe Muguruza, the 21-year-old Spaniard seeded ninth in Flushing Meadows, was a 6-2, 6-4 opening round winner Tuesday over Carina Witthoeft. The win marked Muguruza’s first at the U.S. Open after dropping her previous two opening round matches over the past two years.

Muguruza, who has made her climb into the Top 10 on the WTA Tour this year, has had a strong campaign so far in 2015, including a loss to Serena Williams in the finals at Wimbledon.

Muguruza broke serve twice en route to taking the opening set, but a number of unforced errors allowed Witthoeft to remain competitive in the second.

Up next for Muguruza is a second round encounter with Johanna Konta, a 6-3, 6-0 winner over American Louisa Chirico Tuesday on Court 11. In two career meetings, Muguruza and Konta each have a victory over one another.

Capping off round one action for the women under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was the number five seed Petra Kvitova needing just 59 minutes to oust Laura Siegemund of Germany.

This year marks Kvitova’s eighth appearance in the main draw at Flushing Meadows, as Siegemund was making her main draw debut.

In round two, Kvitova will face American Nicole Gibbs, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 winner Tuesday over Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino. Kvitova is 1-0 lifetime against Gibbs, with a victory back in 2012 at the Connecticut Open.