The synthetic grass and difficult wind conditions presented Spanish and French players with major problems during the opening day's play of the Rover-sponsored Irish women's championships at Riverview yesterday.

Certainly Spain's Alicia Ortuno, the top seed, and France's Karolina Jagieniak treaded gingerly on a surface they were playing on for the first time in their young careers.

Ortuna won her match with difficulty and at one stage fell heavily. Her victory, albeit hard earned in three sets, over Australian Kylie Moulds helped to ease her displeasure.

Ireland's number one Gina Niland could not contain the ground stroke power of Jagieniak, a clay court player who two years ago at 17 reached the quarter-finals of Junior Wimbledon. She is confident of being in the world's top 20 within five years. Niland took the first set when the wind was at its strongest.

Kelly Liggan, Spanish born but of Irish descent and who is awaiting clearance to play for Ireland, was swept out of contention by the heavy-hitting Italian Allesia Lombardi.

Claire Curran put up a gutsy display of defiant tennis against world ranked German Marketa Kochta (256) before finally succumbing in a tense final set. Curran saved a match point in the final game and was unlucky to lose after a three-hour marathon.