Former US Open champion Samantha Stosur continued her build-up to the season’s final grand slam with a convincing 6-1 7-5 win over Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova in first round action at the Western and Southern Open.

The Australian 11th seed is among a host of former-grand slam winners making an appearance on the Cincinnati hardcourts this week, the joint event likely to be the final tune-up for the top players from both the WTA and ATP ahead of the US Open later this month.

American world number one Serena Williams, fresh off her win in Toronto, headlines a star studded women’s field that will feature the top 20 ranked players.

The men’s side of the draw is no less impressive with world number one Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, also a winner in Canada on Sunday, and Roger Federer taking centre stage.

With the top seeds receiving first round byes some of the bigger names began to ease into the action yesterday with Federer, seeking to add to his five Cincinnati titles, opening his account against Germany’s Philipp Kohl-schreiber.

On the women’s side, world number three Maria Sharapova, healthy again after a lengthy injury lay-off, returns to the court for the first time since Wimbledon against American Sloane Stephens.