Seeds Safely Through In Monte Carlo

All eight seeds successfully negotiated their first round opposition in the Women's Monte Carlo Classic to set up the predicted quarter-finals in Monaco.

In an all-Netherlands clash, favourite Vanessa Atkinson stormed to the swiftest win of the day, beating qualifier Orla Noom 9-6 9-0 9-0 in just 23 minutes. The world champion from The Hague now faces France's Isabelle Stoehr after the sixth seed defeated English qualifier Suzie Pierrepont 9-3 9-5 9-5.

An all-English battle will be one of the highlights of the quarter-finals when Yorkshire's Jenny Duncalf, newly-promoted to No2 seed following the last-minute withdrawal of compatriot Linda Elriani, faces seventh seed Alison Waters, from London.

Duncalf needed four games to overcome English qualifier Sarah Kippax 9-3 3-9 9-1 9-3 in 38 minutes, while Waters waltzed to a 9-7 9-2 9-4 victory over Scotland's Pamela Nimmo.

1st round:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [Q] Orla Noom (NED) 9-6, 9-0, 9-0 (23m)
[6] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [Q] Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) 9-3, 9-5, 9-5 (31m)
[3] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-7, 9-4, 9-3 (32m)
[5] Annelize Naude (NED) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 9-2, 9-3, 9-3 (28m)
[8] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) bt [Q] Karen Kronemeyer (NED) 9-5, 9-5, 9-6 (41m)
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 9-5, 9-1, 9-4 (37m)
[7] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Pamela Nimmo (SCO) 9-7, 9-2, 9-4 (35m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-3, 3-9, 9-1, 9-3 (38m)