Spaniards Topple French

TOKYO — Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, the French Open champion, defeated Nathalie Tauziat 6-4, 6-2 today as second-seeded Spain beat France 2-0 in the first round of the Federation Cup women’s tennis tournament.

Sanchez Vicario, ranked fifth in the world, began pulling away after the two reached 3-3 in the first set. Her opponent is ranked No. 22.

Conchita Martinez of Spain struggled nearly three hours before downing Isabelle Demongeot 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. No doubles match was played.

“We came to Japan to win. We have the confidence for it,” Sanchez Vicario said.

Fourth-seeded Bulgaria blanked qualifier South Korea 3-0. In the feature match, Manuela Maleeva beat Im Sook-ja 6-1, 6-0.

The start of the matches was delayed by rain for five hours and, because of that, it was agreed that there would be no doubles match if one team had a clinching 2-0 lead.

Those who won 2-0 were the Netherlands over Yugoslavia, Argentina over qualifier the Philippines and the Soviet Union over Switzerland.

Australia scored a 3-0 victory over qualifier China, playing both singles and one doubles on the hard courts of the Ariake Colosseum.

In 2-1 decisions, Canada beat Brazil and Italy downed New Zealand.

The top-seeded United States begins play Tuesday, meeting Greece, and third-seeded defending champion Czechoslovakia takes on Belgium, fifth-seeded West Germany plays Finland, eighth-seeded Austria meets Mexico, Sweden faces Japan, Indonesia plays Britain, Thailand meets Hungary and Poland faces Denmark.