IN BRIEF : U.S. Girl Wins Fernleaf Round

American teen-ager Halle Cioffi eased past New Zealander Claudine Toleafoa 6-3, 7-5 today in the first round of the $50,000 Fernleaf Classic women’s tennis tournament.

Cioffi, seeded third, led two other seeds into the last 16 of the 32-player hard-court tournament.

She was joined in the second round by fifth-seeded Belgian Sandra Wasserman and No. 8 Maria Strandlund of Sweden.

Wasserman beat New Zealander Ruth Seeman 6-2, 6-1, while Strandlund struggled past West German Sabine Auer 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 6-2.

Cioffi, 19, from Knoxville, Tenn., trailed Toleafoa 3-5 in the second set before rallying to win.

“I’m trying to come to the net more, but didn’t get in as much as I intended, Cioffi said. “My serve wasn’t good. In the circumstances I’m happy just to have won.”

Conchita Martinez of Spain is the top seed for the tournament, which continues though Sunday.