Nadia Petrova was the only seed to fall day one of the Qatar Total Open in Doha on Monday.
Eight of the world's top 10 are taking part in the tournament, including world number two Ana Ivanovic who is the top seed for the first time in her career.
But with all eight receiving byes in the first round, Petrova was the highest-ranked player in action on Monday.
And she was forced to retire while 6-2 1-2 down against Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain due to a bout of gastritis.
There were no such problems for 12th seed Shahar Peer, the first Israeli citizen to play a tournament in an Arabic state, or 14th-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, who recorded straight-sets victories over Andreja Klepac and wildcard Sabine Lisicki respectively.
Peer now faces France's Virginie Razzano, who battled past China's Tiantian Sun 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.
Austrian Sybille Bammer, the 15th seed, beat Japan's Aiko Nakamura and next meets Romanian Monica Niculescu, who eliminated American Julie Ditty.
Agnieszka Radwanska, seeded 16, defeated Japan's Akiko Morigami and Russian Vera Zvonareva beat countrywoman Anastasia Rodionova 6-0 6-3.
Other winners on Monday included Maria Kirilenko, Vera Zvonareva, Yan Zi and Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Ivanovic will face the winner of the first-round match between India's Sania Mirza and Olga Govortsova.
Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, the runner-up here to Justine Henin last year, is the second seed and opens against either China's Shuai Peng or France's Nathalie Dechy.
Number three seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia opens against Russia's Yaroslava Shvedova, who beat China's Jie Zheng on Monday.
Fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova, who won her third career grand slam title at the Australian Open beating Ivanovic in the final will face countrywoman Galina Voskoboeva who beat Greece's Eleni Daniilidou.
World number one Henin is not defending her title this year as she was collecting her Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award in St Petersburg on Monday night.
Qatar Total Open - Round One
Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) bt 10-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 6-2 1-2 ret. (gastritis)
12-Shahar Peer (Israel) bt Andreja Klepac (Slovenia) 6-3 6-4
14-Amélie Mauresmo (France) bt Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3
15-Sybille Bammer (Austria) bt Aiko Nakamura (Japan) 6-1 6-3
16-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) bt Akiko Morigami (Japan) 7-5 6-0
Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) bt Nadia Petrova (Russia) 6-2 1-2 ret. (gastritis)
Virginie Razzano (France) bt Sun Tiantian (China) 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3
Maria Kirilenko (Russia) bt Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 6-3 5-7 6-0
Vera Zvonareva (Russia) bt Anastasia Rodionova (Russia) 6-0 6-3
Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) bt Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-3
Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) bt Chan Yung-Jan (Chinese Taipei) 3-6 6-2 6-3
Yan Zi (China) bt Vera Dushevina (Russia) 6-2 4-6 6-2
Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) bt Angelique Kerber (Germany) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4
Yaroslava Shvedova (Russia) bt Zheng Jie (China) 6-4 4-6 6-1
Galina Voskoboeva (Russia) bt Eleni Daniilidou (Germany) 6-1 7-6 (8-6)
Monica Niculescu (Romania) bt Julie Ditty (USA) 6-1 6-4