Sixth-seeded Monica Seles (US) beat Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo (Spain) 6-3 6-4 but Mary Pierce became the first seeded player to crash out of Wimbledon today when she was beaten in straight sets 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 by Elena Tatarkova of the Ukraine.

The 11th-seeded French player, who reached the fourth round 12 months ago, was never at ease on the fast grass surface and after squandering a first set 6-5 lead, her tennis went from bad to worse.

The big news in the women's event was the withdrawal of Russia's Anna Kournikova. The 17-year-old 12th seed pulled out due to a thumb injury sustained in Eastbourne last week.

Pete Sampras opened his Wimbledon defence in imperious fashion, smashing Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty 6-3 6-3 6-2 on an overcast centre court.

The world No 1, looking for his fifth title in sixyears here, was joined in the second round by Andre Agassi, winner over Spain's Alex Calatrava, also in straight sets.

Third seed Petr Korda battled his own demons and a dogged Spanish opponent to book his second-round berth.

The Australian Open champion needed just three sets to overcome Javier Sanchez -- brother of French Open champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario -- 6-3 6-4 6-3 on a blowy court two.

Australian Scott Draper, champion at the traditional Wimbledon warm-up event at Queen's Club a week ago, overcame Germany's Rainer Scuttler 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-3.

Women's second seed Lindsay Davenport wasted no time in eliminating Argentine Florencia Labat.6-2 6-2 in 51 minutes.

Eighth seed and champion here in 1994 Conchita Martinez made even lighter work of her Italian opponent Silvia Farina 6-1 6-0.

Ninth seed Amanda Coetzer eased past Australian Kerry-Anne Guse in straight sets 6-2 6-2.

How the seeds fared

(Seedings in prefix) Men's singles (1st round): 1-Pete Sampras (US) bt Dominik Hrbaty(Slo) 6-3 6-3 6-2, 3-Petr Korda (Czech Rep) bt Javier Sanchez (Spa) 6-3 6-4 6-3, Justin Gimelstob (US) bt 10-Alex Corretja (Spain) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 6-3, 13-Andre Agassi (US) bt Alex Calatrava (Spa) 6-2 6-4 6-3.Women's singles (1st round): 2-Lindsay Davenport (US) bt Florencia Labat (Arg) 6-2 6-2, 4-Steffi Graf (Ger) bt Gala Leon Garcia (Spa) 6-4 6-1, 6-Monica Seles (US) bt Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo (Spa) 6-3 6-4, Elena Tatarkova (Ukr) bt 11-Mary Pierce (Fra) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3, 8-Conchita Martinez (Spa) bt Silvia Farina (Ita) 6-1 6-0, 9-Amanda Coetzer (SA) bt Kerry-Anne Guse (Aust) 6-2 6-2, 15-Dominique Van Roost (Bel) bt Joannette Kruger (SA) 6-1 6-3.

Other first round results

Men's singles: Byron Black (Zim) bt Richard Fromberg (Australia) 7-5 3-6 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2, Thomas Enqvist (Swe) bt Daniel Nestor (Can) 6-7 (2-7) 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 6-0 6-0, Jason Stoltenberg (Aust) bt Gustavo Kuerten (Bra) 4-6 6-3 6-1 4-6 10-8Jeff Tarango (US) bt Paul Haarhuis (Neth) 1-6 6-3 6-3 6-0, Magnus Gustafsson (Swe) bt MarkPetchey (GB) 6-2 1-6 6-3 6-2, Filip Dewulf (Bel) bt Steve Campbell (US) 6-3 2-6 6-1 6-0, Radomir Vasek (Czech Rep) bt Oliver Gross (Ger) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-1, Tommy Haas (Ger) bt Ramon Delgado (Par) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-3 6-3, Scott Draper (Aust) bt Rainer Schuttler (Ger) 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-3, David Nainkin (SA) bt Tuomas Ketola (Fin) 6-1 7-6 (7-4) 6-4, Jerome Golmard (Fra) bt Danny Sapsford (GB) 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-3, Mark Woodforde (Aust) bt Jens Knippschild (Ger) 4-6 6-3 7-6 (9-7) 6-1, Nicolas Escude (Fra) bt David Wheaton (US) 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 6-4, Alex O'Brien (US) bt Kenneth Carlsen (Den) 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.

Women's singles: Natasha Zvereva (Bel) bt Rachel McQuillan (Aust) 7-5 6-4, Naoko Sawamatsu (Jap) bt Barbara Paulus (Aut) 2-6 6-3 6-2, Larisa Neiland (Lat) bt Sarah Pitkowski (Fra) 6-1 5-7 6-3, Henrieta Nagyova (Slov) bt Amy Frazier (US) 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-4, Mariana Diaz Oliva (Arg) bt Paola Suarez (Arg) 6-3 6-2, Nana Miyagi (Jap) bt Julie Pullin (GB) 6-3 1-6 6-2, Kristie Boogert (Neth) bt Miho Saeki (Jap) 3-6 6-2 6-1,Maria Alejandra Vento (Ven) bt Sandra Cacic (US) 7-6 (7-1) 4-6, Seda Noorlander (Neth) bt Olga Lugina (Ukr) 6-3 6-1, Chanda Rubin (US) bt Ginger Nielsen (US) 4-6 6-0 6-2, Flora Perfetti (Ita) bt Denisa Chladkova (Czech Rep) 6-0 6-1, Rita Grande (Ita) bt Fang Li (Chn) 6-1 6-4, Alexandra Fusai (Fra) bt Katarina Studenikova (Slo) 6-3 6-2, Alexia Dechaume-Balleret (Fra) bt Olga Barabanschikova (Bela) 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 11-9, Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thai) bt Kvetoslava Hrdlickova (Czech Rep) 6-0 7-5, Samantha Smith (GB) bt Anna-Gaelle Sidot (Fra) 6-3 4-6 6-2, Anne Miller (US) bt Nathalie Dechy (Fra) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2, Sylvia Plischke (Aut) bt Ai Sugiyama (Jap) 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-3, Tara Snyder (US) bt Lenka Nemeckova (Czech Rep) 6-3 6-0, Asa Carlsson (Swe) bt Adriana Gersi (Czech Rep) 6-1 6-1.