Sprem-inator has no Peer in Canberra

Peer, an Israeli rising star who is seeded No.4 in Canberra, fended off the relentless attacking game of former Top 20 player Karolina Sprem, defeating the Croat 75 63 in what was their first career encounter. Peer had a breakthrough season in 2005, reaching five Tour singles quarterfinals and breaking into the world's Top 50. She will next face one of two former Top 15 players, either Eleni Daniilidou of Greece of big-serving American Meghann Shaughnessy.

Vinci, the No.5 seed and one of the few true serve-and-volleyers left in the top ranks of the women's singles game, enjoyed a relatively routine 64 64 victory over tenacious Venezuelan Maria Vento-Kabchi to move through to the round of 16. Vinci also had a breakthrough season in 2005, reaching her biggest career semifinal at the Tier II event in Eastbourne, also notching two Top 10 victories during the season, over Anastasia Myskina and Patty Schnyder. The 22-year-old Italian will next play two-fisted Japanese powerhouse Aiko Nakamura or Czech qualifier Eva Hrdinova.

Not so lucky on Sunday was No.8 seed and recent Québec City runner-up Sofia Arvidsson, who became the tournament's first upset victim, falling quietly to crafty Korean Yoon Jeong Cho 64 64.

Other winners on Day One were Ekaterina Bychkova, who ousted Zuzana Ondraskova 61 64; Tathiana Garbin, who defeated Anda Perianu 61 76(5); Julia Schruff, who defeated Tatiana Panova 75 63; and 2005 Canberra runner-up Melinda Czink, who cruised past Antonella Serra Zanetti 62 62.

In unfortunate news, Auckland champion Marion Bartoli was forced to pull out of the Canberra event on Sunday due to a left hip flexor strain. Bartoli, who was to be the No.2 seed this week, gives her spot at the bottom of the draw to now-No.9 seed Virginie Razzano. The two highest seeds this week are thus Anabel Medina Garrigues (No.1) and Gold Coast champion Lucie Safarova (No.3).