Favourites Flourish In Early European Exchanges

The top seeds survived the opening clashes in the European Individual Championships in the French town of Royan.

Men's favourite Gregory Gaultier, the Frenchman looking for his fourth successive crown, overcame Bulgarian qualifier Nikolay Angelov 9-1, 9-0, 9-3 in the first round - and will now face Dutchman Tom Hoevenaars, a 9/16 seed, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Thierry Lincou, the No2 seed expected to meet Gaultier in an all-home final, beat Slovakia qualifier Petr Kviecinsky 9-4, 9-1, 9-2. His surprise opponent in the second round is unseeded compatriot Mathieu Castagnet, who upset Sweden's 9/16 seed Christian Drakenberg 9-4, 9-0, 3-9, 9-5.

First round action in the women's event saw upsets by Slovakia's Linda Hruzikova and Olga Ertlova, from the Czech Republic. Hruzikova beat 9/16 seed Laurence Bois 9-4, 9-4, 9-2, while Ertlova despatched Swede Anna-Carin Forstadius, also a 9/16 seed, 9-10, 9-4, 9-3, 9-1.

Men's 1st round:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Nikolay Angelov (BUL) 9-1, 9-0, 9-3
[9/16] Tom Hoevenaars (NED) bt Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 9-4, 7-9, 9-4, 2-9, 9-7
[9/16] Simon Rosner (GER) bt [Q] Gregory Lecerf (BEL) 9-6, 9-0, 9-5
[5/8] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Domagoj Spoljar (CRO) 9-1, 9-2, 9-3
[5/8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [Q] Petros Tzamaloukas (GRE) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0
Gustav Detter (SWE) bt [9/16] Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 9-3, 9-7, 10-8
Romain Tenant (FRA) bt [9/16] Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) 8-9, 9-1, 9-1, 9-3
[3/4] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Petr Martin (CZE) 9-2, 9-3, 9-0
[3/4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [Q] Alexei Severinov (RUS) 9-5, 9-0, 9-0
[9/16] Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Patrick Gaessler (GER) w/o
[9/16] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [Q] Roman Fetisov (RUS) 9-0, 9-1, 9-2
[5/8] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [Q] Ivan Djordjevic (SRB) 9-0, 9-3, 9-1
[5/8] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Marek Manik (SVK) 9-4, 9-0, 9-2
[9/16] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt [Q] Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 9-3, 4-9, 8-9, 9-2, 9-1
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt [9/16] Christian Drakenberg (SWE) 9-4, 9-0, 3-9, 9-5
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Petr Kviecinsky (SVK) 9-4, 9-1, 9-2

Women's 1st round:
[1] Tania Bailey (ENG) bye
[9/16] Birgit Coufal (AUT) bt Laura Alonso Perez (ESP) 9-1, 9-5, 9-7
[9/16] Celia Allamargot (FRA) bt Vaso Karasava (CYP) 9-1, 9-5, 9-1
[5/8] Pamela Pancis (AUT) bt Diana Leguss (EST) 9-1, 9-2, 9-0
[5/8] Orla Noom (NED) bye
[9/16] Daniela Schumann (GER) bt Ekatarina Glinchikova (RUS) 9-1, 9-0, 9-2
[9/16] Zuzana Vackova (CZE) bt Laura Pomportes (FRA) 8-10, 9-4, 9-5, 9-2
[3/4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bye
[3/4] Annelize Naude (NED) bye
Linda Hruzikova (SVK) bt [9/16] Laurence Bois (FRA) 9-4, 9-4, 9-2
Olga Ertlova (CZE) bt [9/16] Anna-Carin Forstadius (SWE) 9-10, 9-4, 9-3, 9-1
[5/8] Annabel Romedenne (BEL) bt Zdravka Marselova (BUL) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0
[5/8] Margriet Huisman (NED) bye
[9/16] Soraya Renai (FRA) bt Femke Ellens (CYP) 9-3, 9-4, 9-1
[9/16] Charlotte Delsinne (FRA) bt Jana Smeralova (CZE) 9-3, 4-9, 9-4, 2-9, 9-6
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bye