Spirlea knocks out Coetzer

NEW YORK, AUG 30: South African Amanda Coetzer became the first seed to fall at the US Open here today, losing in straight sets to unseed...

NEW YORK, AUG 30: South African Amanda Coetzer became the first seed to fall at the US Open here today, losing in straight sets to unseeded Romanian Irina Spirlea.

Spirlea, a semi-finalist in 1997 and ranked 20th in the world, defeated the sixth seed 6-1 7-5. In the second round Spirlea will face Thailand8217;s Tamarine Tanasugarn, who defeated Tatiana Panova 7-6 7/4, 6-1. In another first round match, tenth seed Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario put paid to Jelena Dokic8217;s hopes of another Cinderella run, subduing the young Australian 7-5 6-1.

Sanchez needed 69 minutes to overcome Dokic on the windy Arthur Ashe Stadium court. Dokic, 16, making her first career appearance in the main draw of the Open, earned her best career victory by upsetting world number one and top seed Martina Hinigs in the first round at Wimbledon, where she reached the quarter-finals. Caratti qualifies

Cristiano Caratti of Italy reached the main draw of the US Open by advancing through the qualifying rounds for the fifth time in hiscareer.

Caratti, who once ranked as high as No 26 in the world, had his best showing in a Grand Slam tournament in the 1991 Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals.

Also qualifying in the women8217;s singles was Tracy Singian, 19, of the US, a former junior doubles partner of Wimbledon semifinalist Alexandra Stevenson. Singian will play 12th-seeded Barbara Schett of Austria in her opening round match.

RESULTS first round

Men singles: 12-Richard Krajickek Ned bt Philip King US 6-1 6-4 6-0; Galo Blanco Spain bt Julien Boutter France 7-5 5-1 retired; Ivan Ljublcic Croat bt Jeff Morrison US 6-1 6-2 6-4; Paul Goldstein US bt Scott Draper Aus 6-3 6-1 6-0; George Bastl Swiss bt Franco Squillari Arg 7-6 7-4 4-6 6-4 6-4.

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Women singles: Irina Spirlea Rom bt 6-Amanda Coetzer SA 6-1 7-5; 10- Arantxa Sanchez Vicario Spain bt Jelena Dokic Aus 7-5 6-1; 13-Dominique Van Roost Bel bt Maureen Drake Can 6-1 6-0; Lisa Raymond US bt Emilie Loit Fra 6-0 6-4;Anke Huber Ger bt Silvija Talaja Cro 2-6 6-2 6-0; Asa Carlsson Swed bt Andrea Glass Germ 6-0 6-2; Amanda Hopmans Ned bt Elena Wagner Germ 7-6 7-1 6-3; Virginia Ruano-Pascual Spain bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi Swiss 6-2 6-4; Tamarine Tanasugarn Thai bt Tatiana Panova Rus 7-6 7-4 6-1.