TOP seed Damion Johnson will start his quest for glory in the second round of the 23rd staging of the 2016 BCIC/Swept Away Open Clay Court Tennis Championships today at the at Couples Swept Away, Negril.

The BCIC/Swept Away Men’s and Women’s Open Singles Championships got under way yesterday with majority of the seeded players receiving byes into today’s second round.

Later in the afternoon, Johnson is expected to play the winner of the Tariq Simons vs Clive Wilson first-round singles match, which will be played this morning at the scheduled start of 9:00.

Dwayne Pagon is the second seed in the men’s open singles, while Jeremy Miller is third and fourth seed is Marcus Malcolm. Defending champion Rowland Phillips, who won the title last year, is not participating.

Ffion Fletcher is the top seed in the women’s open singles with Michaela Stephens the second seed, while Selena Blythe is third and Sheada Nickle, the fourth seed.

Action will also be seen in the men’s professional 35-year-old and over and men’s amateurs 35 years and over.

In matches played yesterday in the men’s open, seventh seed Jacob Bicknell brushed aside unseeded Jordan Lightbody 6-1, 6-1; Warren Bell beat Cole McNair 6-1, 6-2; Johnathan Golding defeated Michael Allen 7-6, 6-1; Morris Edwards defeated Anthony Burgess 6-2, 6-3.

Matches scheduled in the men’s open singles this morning at 9:00 are — Clive Foster vs Alex Goldson; Dimitri Bird vs Milton Rose; Dwayne Lue Shing vs Bruce Hart; Oshane Wright vs Steven Priestley; Damani Newman vs Julius Biggs; Macoy Malcolm vs Warren Bell; Dane Vernon vs Morris Edwards; Duainne Miller vs Johnathan Golding; Max Brown vs the winner of Romario Boddal vs Gerry Hunter. These will be followed by 14 other singles matches.

Meanwhile, a lot of money is up for grabs by players with the winner of the Men’s Open singles walking away with a whopping first prize cash award of $175,000, while the runner-up collects $75,000; the two losing semi-finalists $37,500, quarter-finalists $18,750, and players reaching the round of 16 get $9,370 each.

The women’s open winner will collect $75,000, the runner-up $35,500, two losing semi-finalists $18,750, and quarter-finalists $9,375 each.

The men’s 35 years professional and over are not to be left out as they will also be awarded cash prizes, with the winners receiving $85,000, runner-up $42,000, losing semi-finalists $21,250 each, quarter-finalists $10,625, and round of 16 $5,312.50 each.

There will also be a doubles open for men. Entry fee to participate is $3,000 or US$25. Entries should have been closed late yesterday at 5:00 pm.

Johnson, the Jamaica number one player, will headline the list of Jamaicans who will be participating in the men’s open singles, along with Dwayne Pagon, Jeremy Miller, Yussuf Migoko, and 14-year-old Blaise Bicknell, who was beaten in the semi-finals by last year’s winner, Rowland Phillips.

Also competing are Jacob Bicknell , John Azar Jr, Matthew Rodriques, Orick Angus, Dane Vernon, Adam Harris among others.

In the women’s singles, Ffioan Fletcher, Michaela Stephens, Selena Blythe, Sheada Nickle and Pauline Hylton are the top seeded players. Sharika Knight, last year’s winner, will not be defending her title.