ROME (AFP) - Vera Zvonareva, Agnes Szavay and Francesca Schiavone faced few problems on the first day of the WTA Rome International here on Monday with all three seeds coasting into the second round.

Russian Zvonareva, the 10th seed, was the first one through with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama.

Eleventh-seeded Hungarian Szavay had an even easier time of it against another Asian player as she thrashed China's Zi Yan 6-1, 6-1.

Home favourite Schiavone, who lives in London, had the toughest test of the three against Czech youngster Lucie Safarova.

But the 17th-seed, a former Fed Cup winner battled through 6-4, 7-5 to clinch the first round match.

Her compatriot Mara Santangelo did not fare so well, though, losing 6-2, 6-2 to Ukrainian doubles specialist Alona Bondarenko.

Australian Samantha Stosur was another first round winner as she eliminated Michaela Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-2.bc/nr08