WIGAN'S Jane O'Donoghue believes she can win this year's Hastings Direct National Championships at Bolton after producing a spirited fight back to see off Essex's Amanda James in the first round.

The 19-year-old, who lost to Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon this year, recovered in style having dropped a set in a one-sided second set tie-break.

Having convincingly taken the first set 6-4, O'Donoghue had chances to close out the match, but struggled to take advantage.

And her mistake let in James, who took the second set 7-2 in the tie break. However, O'Donoghue showed true fighting spirit in the deciding set to book her place in the next round.

"I served for it in the second set at 5-4 but didn't get enough in and she played more aggressively and put me under pressure," said O'Donoghue.

"You're always a bit edgy serving out the match. It was the first match and you always want to get the first match under your belt, but I kept my nerve and I'm pleased to be into the second round."

O'Donoghue will now meet Scotland's Karen Patterson in the second round.

"I beat Karen earlier in the year so I'll be going into the match confidently," added O'Donoghue.

"My eyes are only on winning the title and I think I've got a real chance because I've beaten pretty much everybody in the draw apart from Lucie Ahl who I played a couple of years ago and I haven't played Julie Pullin yet."

Elsewhere, defending men's champion Lee Childs and reigning women's title holder Hannah Collin - both going for their third titles - made light work of breezing through their first round matches.

Childs and Collin both registered straight set victories over Naim Lalji and Natalie Neary respectively to progress to the next stage of the competition.