Top-seeded Stepanek moves on at Nottingham

NOTTINGHAM, England, June 17 (UPI) -- No. 1-seeded Radek Stepanek and three other seeded players recorded straight-set wins in the first round of The Slazenger Open tennis tournament in England.

Stepanek breezed past John Isner 6-3, 6-2 to lead the parade of seeded players into the second round.

Also winning Tuesday were third-seeded Fernando Verdasco, who beat Marcos Daniel 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); fifth-seeded Gilles Simons, who topped Donald Young 6-1, 6-4; and eighth-seeded Gael Monfils, who defeated Chris Guccione 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

Other matches saw Vincent Spadea take out Alexander Slabinsky 6-1, 7-5 and Thomas Johansson advance when Kei Nishikori retired with an abdominal strain after Johansson won the first set 7-5.

Also advancing Tuesday were Eduardo Schwank, Samuel Groth and Alex Bogdanovic.