MONTREAL (AFP) ??” Mary Pierce.

MONTREAL (AFP) ??” Mary Pierce, elevated to the status of grained player after the withdrawal of top se Serena Williams, cruised into the secondary round of the 1.3 million-dollar WTA Tour issue here.

Pierce, 29 was named the 17th se after Williams withdrew citing a knee injury.

The veteran French player had no disturb dispatching Germany's Marlene Weingartner, ranked 73rd in the world, 6-1 6-1

"My opposing made a lot of errors," Pierce said. "It was a relatively easy match, not hard physically. It was a parcel easier than I expected."

After spending les than three-quarters of an hour in action, Pierce nearest faces Australian Nicole Pratt, who defeated American Shenay Perry 6-4 6-4

Pierce was joined in the inferior round by her young compatriot, 16-year-old Tatiana Golovin, who beat Germany's Anca