The 2008 Pacific Life Open got underway Monday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden with 48 women vying to make their way successfully through the qualification stage and into the main draw.

Russian Alla Kudryavtseva, seeded fifth in the qualification draw, opened proceedings with a comfortable 6-2, 6-0 win over Slovak Jarmila Gajdosova, and next faces top Brit Katie O’brien, a 6-3, 7-6(6) winner over Tunisia's Selima Sfar.

Colombian No. 7 seed Catalina Castano converted on seven of her 17 break point opportunities to advance with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win over American Gail Brodsky. It marked her first career victory in Indian Wells, having lost in the first round of qualifying in 2004 and '05 and in her opening round main draw matches the last two years.

Meanwhile, a handful of top seeds faltered in their main draws bids, led by top-seeded Russian Alisa Kleybanova who lost to Japan's Rika Fujiwara 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 in a two hour, 12 minute battle.

Third seed Petra Cetkovska lost to fellow Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; fourth seed Marina Erakovic suffered a lopsided 6-0, 6-4 decision against Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak; and No. 6 Stephanie Dubois fell in 6-3 sets to Hungarian Greta Arn.

It also proved a tough day on the courts for American players, with Raquel Kops-Jones, Abigail Spears, Amber Liu, Varvara Lepchenko and Coco Vandeweghe among those to fall in Monday action.

The only two Americans to advance were No. 2 seed Julie Ditty, who defeated compatriot Alexandra Stevenson 7-5, 6-2, and wild card Rita Zalameda, who came back to defeat German Julia Goerges, 6-7(1), 7-5, 7-5.

Women's qualifying concludes Tuesday with the 12 winners advancing to the main draw.