Quebec City, QC – Seventh seed Irina Falconi was an easy round winner Monday at the $220,000 Bell Challenge.
Falconi whipped fellow 21-year-old American Alison Riske 6-3, 6-3 on the hardcourts at PEPS Laval University.
Fourth-seeded Canadian Rebecca Marino was a straight-set winner, 6-2, 6-4, and Michaella Krajicek from the Netherlands also posted an easy victory under the lights, downing Marie-Eve Pelletier, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3.
Additional opening-round wins came for Hungarian Melinda Czink and Britain's Heather Watson.
Austrian Tamira Paszek, seeded third this week, bested American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in last year's finale in Quebec City. Paszek titled as a qualifier last year.
This week's top seed in Slovakian veteran Daniela Hantuchova.
The 2011 Bell Challenge titlist will earn $37,000.
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