( CNN ) -- World number three Kim Clijsters eased past Russia 's Dinara Safina with a 6-0 6-0 victory in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday . Safina , a finalist at this event in 2009 and a former world number one , lasted only 44 minutes against Belgium 's Clijsters and lost without winning a game for the first time in her career . `` I did n't know how to win a point , embarrassing , '' the 23-year-old , now ranked 75th , told the WTA Tour 's website . `` I was looking forward to this match . We 've played many times . I wanted to go out there and play my game and see what happened . But today she was just cruising and cruising . It hurts . '' The Australian Open should be in February ! Clijsters , a three-time U.S. Open champion , said her opponent displayed a lack of confidence during their match . `` She did n't get to number one just by luck , '' the third seed for the Melbourne tournament said after setting up a clash with Spanish world No . 62 Carla Suarez Navarro . `` The game is still there . She just has to win a few matches , a few tough matches then build some more confidence . '' Second seed Vera Zvonareva also scored a straight-sets win with a 6-2 6-1 success over Austria 's Sybille Bammer at the Rod Laver Arena . The 26-year-old reached two grand slam finals in 2010 , but is yet to claim a major title . `` It 's nice to start your grand slam like that , '' Russia 's Zvonareva said . `` It 's always difficult to play your best tennis in your first match , but I did what I needed to win . '' Zvonareva will now play Bojana Jovanovski after the Serbian triumphed 7-5 6-1 against Kai-Chen Chang of Chinese Taipei . There was joy for the home crowd when Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur advanced thanks to a 6-1 6-1 victory against American wildcard Lauren Davis . Stosur , 26 , wrapped up the match in 53 minutes and she will now play Vera Dushevina of Russia . Dushevina defeated Italy 's Maria Elena Camerin to move into the second round at Melbourne Park . Serbia 's Ana Ivanovic suffered a first-round exit after the 19th seed lost to Russia 's 49th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova in a match which lasted two hours and 37 minutes . The 23-year-old , who won the French Open in 2008 , held a 3-1 lead in the third and deciding set but eventually slipped to a 3-6 6-4 10-8 defeat . Makarova will meet the Ukraine 's Lesya Tsurenko in round two , after she overcame Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-2 6-3 .
Third seed Kim Clijsters defeats Dinara Safina 6 - 0 6 - 0 in the Australian Open first round . World number one Vera Zvonareva is safely through after a win against Sybille Bammer . Australia 's Samantha Stosur into the second round after defeating Lauren Davis . Former No . 1 Ana Ivanovic is out after a 3 - 6 6 - 4 10 - 8 defeat to Elena Makarova .