It was bad day at the office for the Japanese players as the Toray Pan Pacific Open began at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gym on Tuesday.
Erika Takao crashed out in the first round of the singles, losing 7-5, 7-5 to Italy's Francesca Schiavone, while doubles pair Akiko Morigami and Aiko Nakamura were on the receiving end of a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing by Vania King and Rennae Stubbs.
Top seed Maria Sharapova and No. 2 seed Martina Hingis had first-round byes, with Hingis playing her first match Wednesday against Australia's Nicole Pratt.
Sharapova, named world No. 1 on Monday despite her defeat to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final, begins her pursuit of the title she won in 2005 on Thursday against Schiavone.
"I would have loved to have played Sharapova," the 19-year-old Takao said. "But the result today against a higher-ranked opponent has given me confidence that I can play at this level."
Takao is ranked 136th in the world, while Schiavone is 25th.
Nakamura is up against Italy's Mara Santangelo in the singles competition on Wednesday morning, while Ai Sugiyama, making her 15th appearance at the tournament, plays Russia's Elena Vesnina later the same day.
Holder and No. 3 seed Elena Dementieva of Russia, who beat Hingis 6-2, 6-0 in last year's final, and fourth-seed Jelena Jankovic also received byes into the second round.
No. 8 seed Daniela Hantuchova was the first seed to fall Tuesday when the Slovakian went down 6-4, 6-4 to Italy's Roberta Vinci.
No. 5 seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia defeated American Shenay Perry 6-4, 6-2 and Australia's Nicole Pratt beat Meghann Shaughnessy of the U.S. 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-4.
China's Li Na, seeded sixth, beat America's Lilia Osterloh 6-3, 6-2 and France's Severine Bremond thrashed compatriot Marion Bartoli 6-0, 6-2.