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August 4, 1998

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Hingis, Seles, Graf in Toshiba Classic field

Sandrine Testud of France stormed past American teenager Alexandra Stevenson, who is yet to turn pro, 4-6 6-2 6-0 on the opening day of the $450,000 Toshiba Tennis Classic.

Testud, ranked 13th, will now face Monica Seles in the second round.

In other first-round play, Mary Pierce of France blanked Austrian Barbara Paulus 6-3 7-5, while l997 French Open champion Iva Majoli stopped France's Alexandra Fusai 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 and Lisa Raymond of the United States won when Russian Elena Likhovtseva retired with a left thigh strain trailing 6-2 5-1.

Jennifer Capriati, struggling to come back, fought her way into the main draw by rallying past Nathalie Dechy of France 7-6 (7-5) 2-6, 6-1, then said she found it a "humbling experience" fighting her way through qualifiers. "But it only makes me more determined," the former teen prodigy added.

The tournament should hot up later on Tuesday, with three world number ones, past and present, figuring in the draw. Defending champion and current world number one Martina Hingis is top ranked, while Steffi Graf and Monica Seles also figure in the draw.

Graf will be seen in action late Tuesday, opposing France's Julie Halard-Decugis.

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