Jankovic eventually found her form against Stevenson

Jelena Jankovic began her Family Circle Cup defence with a 7-5 6-0 win in the second round over Alexandra Stevenson.

The Serb top seed, coming off her first final of 2008 at Key Biscayne, dropped two service games in the opening set.

But she saved all three break points she faced in the second to ease past the American qualifier, playing in her first main draw since August 2006.

Russian second seed Maria Sharapova saw off America's Bethanie Mattek 6-0 6-0 on Charleston's green clay.

Sharapova, who won the Amelia Island singles title last Sunday, will face Tatiana Perebiynis of the Ukraine on Thursday.

Next up for Jankovic will be Russian Anastasia Rodionova, who beat France's Aravane Rezai 6-3 6-4.

Elena Dementieva, seeded fourth, and Vera Zvonareva, the ninth seed, joined compatriot Rodionova in the third round.

Dementieva, runner-up on her last appearance at the event in 2005, beat American Jill Craybas 6-0 6-2, and Zvonareva downed Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-1 6-0 in just 48 minutes.

Swiss seventh seed Patty Schnyder, a two-time finalist making her 12th visit to Charleston, beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 7-6 (7-2) 6-0.