EASTBOURNE, England -- American Alexandra Stevenson advanced to the second round of the Eastbourne grass-court championship Monday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over British wild card Lucie Ahl.

Stevenson, who will face fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova in the next round, used powerful serves and strong forehands to beat Ahl.

"It was a good first round to get through," Stevenson said. "It gives me confidence that I pulled it out on the returns.

"It's heaven playing in Eastbourne. The courts are even, the grass is hard, it's sunny. This is a great tournament to play before Wimbledon, and I'm just hoping to go all the way through."

Stevenson broke serve for leads of 2-0 and 4-2 but was broken in the following games. When Ahl netted a forehand to give Stevenson a break for 5-3, the American served out the set.

Stevenson dominated the early part of the second set, conceding just five points as she charged to a 4-0 lead. Stevenson broke Ahl for the sixth time and closed out the match on her fourth match point.

In another first-round match, Silvia Farina Elia of Italy beat Clarisa Fernandez 6-2, 6-1. She will face Lindsay Davenport in the second round.

Davenport, the No. 1 seed, will be playing her first match since retiring with a pinched nerve in her toe in the fourth round of the French Open.

Third-seeded Jennifer Capriati, making her first appearance in Eastbourne since 1990, will face a qualifier in her opening match.

Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez advanced with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Francesca Schiavone of Italy.