ZURICH. Oct 9: All the seeds in action on the opening day advanced safely into the second round of the 1.08-million-dollar WTA event here on Sunday, reports AFP.

Fifth seed Amanda Coetzer of South Alnca eased past Spain's Magni Serna 6-4. 6-1. but seventh seeded American Chanda Rubin had to rally to overcome Croatia's Sylvija Ta-laja 2-6. 6-1. 6-2.

Although seeded eighth. Russia's Elena Dementieva has been one of the hottest players on the WTA Tour in the last month after winning a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics and reaching the semi-finals of j the US Open.

On Sunday she reached the i second round with a 6-3. 6-3 win over Ruxandra Dragomir of Romania.

Although Senia saved 10 break points in the first set. Coetzer took three games in a row to lead 4-2. and then surrendered just four points in the final four games of the second.

While she had a straightforward victory’, Rubin's match swung wildly from one player to the other. Talaja took the opening set by snatching the last four games, but after holding serve in the first game of the nexi set she gave up the next nine games as Rubin levelled the match and look a commanding lead in the deciding set.

Dementieva struggled to get the better of a persistent Dragomir, saving three break points in the first set and seven in the second. The Russian also made more unforced errors than her opponent, but compensated with 12 forehand winners and five off the backhand. while Dragomir could manage a total of only three

Martina Hingis tops the seedings while Lindsay Davenport makes an early return from the injury that side-lined her at the Olympics. The field also includes Nathalie Tauziat. Jennifer Capriati Anna Kournikova and Jelena Dnkic