DOHA, Feb 18, 2008 (AFP) - Former Israeli soldier Shahar Peer found it a lot calmer, quieter, and more comfortable than she could ever have expected as, with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Andreja Klepac, she became the first player from her country ever to compete in a Gulf state.

　　Not only did Peer's potentially threatening first round encounter with former top 20 player Francesca Schiavone never materialize, neither did all the hassle and hullabaloo which some had expected.

　　Peer had had 24-hour security and treatment like royalty, with guards at the venue making it extra difficult for even bona fide credentialed people to get into the grounds.

　　There had been behind-the-scenes negotiations, speculation and constant debate about the implications of her appearance, and for the first time on this tournament site there had been a military presence.

　　Media coverage had depicted it in various forms of grandiosity - a bold bit of pioneering, an idealistic attempt to help defuse the Arab-Israeli crisis, a coup for the Doha 2016 Olympic bid.

　　But when it came to it the ambassador-competitor enjoyed a quiet, calm, semi-deserted, and pleasantly anti-climactic win over a lucky loser from Slovenia on an outside court, presumably chosen as it was less of a security problem.

　　And asked what the reaction had been back home in Jerusalem to her presence here, she said: "They were very happy that I go. And I think that by my being here everyone can understand that I am human.

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　　"It's not a matter if you are Jewish or Muslim or Christian, so Israelis see it as very positive."

　　And of the Doha 2016 Olympic bid she said: "This is a very rich country as everyone knows. They are doing so many events. They have the WTA Championships which is a really big thing. If by my being here it will also help them I will be happy."

　　Daniela Hantuchova, the seventh seed, had pulled out with a virus, Schiavone moved into a seeding slot, and Klepac, hard-hitting but a little erratic, came in to face the diplomatic symbol. Except that for five minutes Klepac was nowhere to be seen.

　　The encounter began with Peer walking on to a court with 14 people watching, which meant that during the knock-up and for the first quarter of an hour there were more line judges and officials than spectators.

　　Peer sat alone until Klepac appeared, giving time discreetly to study each of the onlookers, though pretty soon it became clear that just about the most threatening thing were the palm trees surrounding the court.

　　This must have helped remove any feelings of doubt and uncertainty which Peer might have been experiencing, even though the court gradually filled up to half full as the match went on.

　　Peer played with her usual scampering industry, and she certainly had plenty of running to do against an opponent whose strokes were more than powerful enough to win but not sufficiently consistent.

　　However Klepac did reach 4-3 in the second set, at which stage she was 0-30 up on Peer's service. A couple of well-aimed blows then might have turned the contest around, but she was facing someone who often does better when there is a scrap.

　　Sure enough Peer held serve with her finest backhand drive of the match, broke at once for 5-4, and played an impeccable service game to close it out.

　　If she wins again, against either Sun Tiantian of China or Virginie Razzano of France, she should have a last 16 with Anna Chakvetadze, the fifth-seeded Russian who was the winner of the Open de Gaz in Paris the week before last.