Stanford (California), July 24: Jennifer Capriati, seeking her first title since capturing last year's Australian Open, needed three sets to win her first match at the 565,000-dollar WTA hardcourt tournament here yesterday. The third-seeded American got past 18-year-old Marion Bartoli of France, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in a second-round encounter.
Capriati, who received a first-round bye, has reached five semi-finals this year. She is playing in her first tournament since a three-set loss to eventual champion Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.
Fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia was less fortunate, falling in straight sets to US veteran Amy Frazier in the evening's singles match.
Frazier downed Hantuchova 6-2, 6-4 in their second-round clash.
Fifth seed Jelena Dokic advanced safely, downing American Alexandra Stevenson 6-3, 6-2.
Dokic has reached five quarter-finals and one semi-final this year. The 22-year-old Stevenson is still looking for her first career title. Her best outing this year was when she reached the semi-finals at Scottsdale.
Three Americans posted first-round wins as No. 6 seed Meghann Shaughnessy downed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro 6-3, 6-1, No. 9 seed Lisa Raymond ousted South Korea's Yoon Jeong Cho 7-5, 5-7, 6-1, and Angela Haynes got past Italian Rita Granda, 6-3, 6-4, in a battle of unseeded players.
No. 7 seed Eleni Daniilidou of Greece routed Slovakia's Tina Pisnik, 6-1, 6-2, in another first-round encounter.
Bureau Report