Kippax & Malik On A Roll In Monte Carlo

Britons Sarah Kippax and Tegwen Malik caused significant upsets on the opening day of main draw action in the Women's Monte Carlo Classic - and will now play-off for a place in the semi-finals of the established $31,000 WISPA World Tour event in Monaco.

Kippax, a qualifier from Cheshire in England, defeated seventh seed Annelize Naude, from the Netherlands, 10-9, 2-9, 9-5, 9-0 in 46 minutes. It was the third successive first round exit in WISPA events for the 29-year-old world No16 from Amsterdam.

Malik, the Welsh champion from Swansea, also capitalised on the current frailty of a world top 20 player: Jenny Duncalf, the fourth seed from England, arrived in Monte Carlo having failed to achieve her seeding in the previous four WISPA events.

Malik became the fifth successive lower-ranked player to get the better of the world No9 from Harrogate, winning 9-3, 9-3, 9-0 in just 27 minutes.

"I know Jenny can do so much better and, while it is a bad patch that she is in now, she is too good not to come through again," said Malik afterwards.

There was a happier outcome for favourite Vanessa Atkinson, the defending champion from the Netherlands who has also experienced disappointing form since winning the Tournament of Champions title in March.

In a repeat of their first round match in last month's World Open in Belfast, the top seed battled for 47 minutes to subdue England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter 9-6, 3-9, 9-2, 9-2.

"I learned from the match we played in Belfast and, though I didn't win, I had a game plan and was pleased to be hitting at the right pace," said Lloyd-Walter later.

1st round:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 9-6, 3-9, 9-2, 9-2 (47m)
[6] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Lauren Briggs (ENG) 9-1, 9-7, 9-4 (40m)
[3] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Runa Reta (CAN) 9-6, 9-0, 9-0 (26m)
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 7-9, 9-3, 9-2, 9-0 (43m)
[Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [7] Annelize Naude (NED) 10-9, 2-9, 9-5, 9-0 (46m)
Tegwen Malik (WAL) bt [4] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 9-3, 9-3, 9-0 (27m)
[8] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [Q] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 9-7, 9-4, 9-7 (44m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) 9-1, 9-0, 9-2 (21m)