Malivai Washington (US) posted the only upset of the day defeating 13th-seeded Jan Siemerink (Netherlands) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.

In a match between the Black brothers from Zimbabwe, Wayne, ranked 105th, defeated Byron, ranked 32nd, 6-4 6-0.

In other first-round matches, Australian Scott Draper outlasted American Jim Courier 7-5 5-7 6-4 . In another match, 14th-seeded Aussie Mark Philippoussis won 6-4 6-3 over American Doug Flach.

Testud rallies

CARLSBAD: Amateur Alexandra Stevenson was on the brink of her biggest victory yet, only to lose concentration and with it a potential upset yesterday in the Toshiba Tennis Classic.

France's Sandrine Testud, ranked 13th in the world, was down a set and trailed 1-2 in the second set before winning the final 11 games for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory on the opening day ofthe $ 450,000 event at the La Costa Resort and Spa.

Testud's comeback highlighted play on the first day of action in the tournament featuring seven of the top 10 players on the WTA Tour.

In other matches, Mary Pierce (France), ranked No 16 on the WTA Tour, beat Barbara Paulus (Austria) 6-3, 7-5, Iva Majoli (Croatia), ranked 20th, was extended in a 7-6, (7-1), 6-3 victory over Alexandra Fusai (France) and former teen sensation Jennifer Capriati won her third qualifying match -- a 7-6, (7-5), 2-6, 6-1 victory against France's Nathalie Dechy -- to move into the main draw.