DOHA, Qatar » Caroline Wozniacki swept aside Elena Dementieva 6-1, 6-1 in the group stage of the WTA Championships yesterday, putting her within one win of ensuring she will remain the world’s top-ranked player for 2010.

Wozniacki of Denmark raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first set on her way to thrashing Dementieva, who often had no answer for Wozniacki’s strong serves and well-placed groundstrokes.

"Very nice start, definitely. I’m very happy to be through this first match," said Wozniacki, who had a 4-3 record against Dementieva coming into the tournament. "It’s always tough to start a new tournament. Against Elena, I knew we have had so many tough matches in the past. It’s nice to get this one."

Wozniacki needs to win two of her matches in the Maroon Group to fend off a challenge for her top ranking from No. 2 Vera Zvonareva of Russia.

Muster loses comeback match

Thomas Muster, once ranked No. 1, lost in his first match on the ATP Tour after 11 years away. The 43-year-old was beaten by 23-year-old Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-2, 7-6 (5) in an all-Austrian match in the first round of the Bank Austria Trophy.

The result means Jimmy Connors remains the oldest player to win on the ATP Tour. At 42, Connors reached the quarterfinals in Halle, Germany, in 1995.

Vandeweghe rounds out Fed Cup squad for U.S.

Teenager Coco Vandeweghe is joining Melanie Oudin, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and doubles specialist Liezel Huber on the U.S. team that will face Italy in the Fed Cup final.

With Serena and Venus Williams sidelined by injuries, U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez picked the 115th-ranked Vandeweghe yesterday for the Nov. 6-7 Fed Cup final on an indoor hard court at the San Diego Sports Arena.