Tue Jun 17 13:07:18 2008

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Stepanek, Monfils reach second round in Nottingham

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Nottingham, England (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek and French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils highlighted Tuesday's first-round winners at The Slazenger Open, a final grass-court Wimbledon tuneup.

Stepanek whipped 6-foot-9 American John Isner 6-3, 6-2, while an eighth-seeded Monfils snuck past big-serving Aussie Chris Guccione 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 at The City of Nottingham Tennis Centre.

Stepanek will face American qualifier Vincent Spadea here on Wednesday, while Monfils will tangle with fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

Two other seeds advanced on Day 2, as No. 3 Spaniard Fernando Verdasco edged out Brazilian Marcos Daniel 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) and No. 5 Frenchman Gilles Simon downed American Donald Young 6-1, 6-4.

The aforementioned Spadea topped British wild card Alexander Slabinsky 6-1, 7-5, while former Australian Open titlist Thomas Johansson, of Sweden, was leading Kei Nishikori 7-5 when the Japanese qualifier retired with an abdominal strain. Johansson titled here back in 2001.

Additional opening-round wins came for Argentine Eduardo Schwank, Aussie qualifier Samuel Groth and British qualifier Alex Bogdanovic.

Also on Wednesday, fourth-seeded and defending Nottingham champion Ivo Karlovic will take on American Sam Querrey. The 6-foot-10 Croatian Karlovic beat 5-foot-8 Frenchman Arnaud Clement in last year's finale here.