TENNIS: The most unfortunate aspect of the Women's Irish Open Championships at Castleknock is that two of the best home players, top seed Yvoonne Doyle and Karen Nugent, will be meeting as early as the second round this morning.

Both players are in such good form that it is a pity they are not further apart in the draw. While Nugent was showing sheer class in disposing of the Canadian Kavitha Krishnamurth on Monday, Doyle was on a flight out of Spain where she has been operating on the circuit there to a satisfactory degree.

Doyle, promoted to the top seeded spot because of the late withdrawal of Kelly Liggan, yesterday saw off the challenge of British entry Carly Homewood 6-4 6-2.

Owen Casey, who is in charge of the Irish players for the week, put Homewood's capture of four games in the first set down to a drift from concentration on the part of holder Doyle who had led 4-2. The match was contested largely from the baseline and Doyle produced greater depth and variation for an impressive win.

Her match with Nugent is guaranteed to be tactical. Their knowledge of each other's play is so comprehensive that something fresh could turn the tables either way. They teamed up in the doubles and won comfortably against Irish juniors Rachel Halligan and Sarah McIntyre.

Singles (first round) - J Lindstrom (Swe) bt F Hendry (Brit) 6-2 6-3; Y Glitzenshtein (Isr) bt l Alexander (Brit) 6-0 6-1; G Baker (Aus) bt A Erikson (Swe) 6-4 6-1; K Wolner (Aut) bt S Jolk (Ger) 6-3 6-3; A White (Brit) bt D Kochetkova (Lat) 6-0 6-1; H Norfeldt (Swe) bt A Eposito (Ita) 6-1 6-0; I Mitterlehner (Aut) bt T Schugt (Ger) 6-2 7-6 (7-2); Y Doyle bt C Homewood (Brit) 6-4 6-2.

Doubles (first round)- C Finucane and A Leonard bt A Lind (Swe) and A Ryan 6-4 6-4; M Amir and D Steinbrerg (Isr) bt L Alexander (Brit) and N Narra (USA) 6-2 6-3; Y Doyle and K Nugent bt R Halligan and S McIntyre 6-2 6-2; K Jarkenstedt and H Forfeldt bt I Mitterlehner and K Wolner (Aut) 6-4 6-4; A Hawkins (Brit) and N Kris (Aus) bt A and J White (Brit) 6-4 6-3.