Stepanek fell to the ground after returning a routine shot midway through the opening set and lay prone for a few moments clutching his right ankle. He received treatment and returned to court with a heavy bandage, but did not appear to be seriously injured.
Another Frenchman, Arnaud Clement lost 6-3, 7-6 (4) to Croat Ivan Ljubicic, who next meets Russian Marat Safin in the second round. Sargis Sargsian of Armenia also booked his place in the next round with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Thomas Johansson of Sweden.
Bell Challenge
The tournament lost its first seed of the US$170,000 event on Tuesday when qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva of Bulgaria beat No. 3 Mashona Washington of the US 6-0, 6-2.
"It was a day where nothing worked, a bad day," Washington said. "I couldn't put the ball where I wanted on the court."
Top seeds Mary Pierce of France and Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia both have byes into the second round.
Among the other seeds to play Tuesday, Russia's Alina Jidkova defeated No. 8 Samantha Stosur of Australia, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 while No. 6 Claudine Schaul of Luxembourg downed Anca Barna of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (6).
The 27-year-old Jidkova is coming off a quarterfinal appearance last week in Linz, Austria, where she beat Serena Williams.
Elsewhere, qualifier Melanie Gloria of Montreal defeated Stephanie Foretz of France 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2) in the first round, the first win by a Quebecer since the tournament started in 1993.
The 17-year-old Gloria, who reached the main draw by winning her qualifying match Monday, will face Hantuchova in the second round.
In other matches Tuesday in the Tier 3 event, American Abigail Spears defeated countrywoman Lindsay Lee-Waters 7-5, 6-3, Mariana Oliva-Diaz of Argentina beat Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-3, 6-2, Martina Sucha eliminated Melanie Marois 6-0, 7-5 and Shenay Perry of the US beat Marie-Eve Pelletier 6-1, 6-4.
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