That ace impersonator Alistair McGowan was in the audience to watch a passable impression of a young girl shaping up for a major comeback.

Slovakian pin-up Daniela Hantuchova thrilled McGowan and the rest of a sun-scorched crowd on centre court at Devonshire Park yesterday with a gutsy three-set victory in the opening round of the Hastings Direct Championships.

Hantuchova made the most of a wild card by sweating her way past American Amy Frazier 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 in just over two hours to set up a second round clash today against Croatian Karolina Sprem.

For Hantuchova's coach Nigel Sears from Lewes, sat a few yards in front of McGowan, it was the clearest indication yet that his charge has recovered from a miserable year in which her weight, or rather lack of it, was talked about far more than her tennis.

The whisper on the circuit was that Hantuchova was suffering from a severe eating disorder as she dropped to around 7st, way below the recommended weight for her 5ft 11in frame.

Hantuchova, wearing a revealing all-white Nike outfit, looked much curvier and contented yesterday as she showed glimpses of the form which took her as high as No. 5 in the world at the start of 2003.

Sears said: "Any win is a good win at the moment, because we haven't had too many over the last year. That will give her a lot of confidence, because Amy is a good player particularly on grass.

"Daniela pulled herself together well in the third set and went up another level. She is on the way back, there is no question about that. She is too good a player to be ranked where she is (54).

"Now she is certainly back to her ideal performance weight. She's very healthy, she's striking the ball very well in practice and she just needs some more matches. Every win will help her a lot."

Hantuchova split from Sears last October, but she was back with him by the beginning of March following a brief association with Harold Solomon.

Sears has noticed a difference in the 21-year-old since their reunion. "There is certainly more maturity," he said. "She had such a difficult year last year and in many ways she is a much stronger person for that.

"It's just a matter of time and I think she will be right back where she should be at the top of the game. I think she can perhaps be better than she was before."

Hantuchova had to fight all the way to prevail in a baseline battle with the pale-skinned Frazier, ranked 34.

Hindered by unforced errors early on, she was a little fortunate when Frazier served for the first set at 5-4, 15-30.

A groundstroke from Hantuchova looked over the baseline, but to the disbelief of Frazier it was not called out.

That unsettled the 31-year-old from Michigan and, although she levelled the match, Hantuchova ran away with the deciding set, reeling off the last four games in succession.

"I'm really pleased I got through this one," said Hantuchova. "Amy is a very dangerous player on grass and I was expecting a tough match. I'm really pleased to be in the next round.

"I feel really great, physically in good shape and really excited to be back on grass. I've put last year totally behind me now."

As Hantuchova thrived, Jelena Dokic simultaneously crashed out on court one to Slovenian Tina Pisnik, 6-2, 6-2.

The former world No. 4 has suffered a chronic loss of form, but she has vowed not to become another victim of tennis burnout.

Andrea Jaeger, Tracy Austin, Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova all quit the women's tour at an early age. Dokic said: "I started on the pro tour when I was 15, so six years later without stopping is maybe hurting me a little bit.

"I've played as many matches as some people do in their career and I am only 21, so that is a bit worrying but I have to work through it.

"I have other interests but not something to take me away from tennis. I don't think I am done yet and I want to give myself another chance. A few people are doubting me but I'm not somebody that gives up."

Anyone watching Dokic yesterday could have been forgiven for thinking she has done just that. She tutted and sighed her way to a feeble defeat, dropping serve six times to an opponent ranked 22 places below her.

Conchita Martinez, approaching the tenth anniversary of her Wimbledon triumph, proved again she is not a spent force with a remarkable revival against fellow thirtysomething Lisa Raymond from the States.

The Spaniard, Eastbourne runner-up to Chanda Rubin last year, lost the first set but then lost only two more games.

In a doubles match, Martina Navratilova and Raymond (USA) beat Rita Grande (Italy) and Samantha Reeves (USA) 6-1 6-4.