..Venus Williams takes first step
(REUTERS)-Svetlana Kuznetsova recovered from a terrible start to kick off her French Open title defence with a 6-3 6-1 win over Romanian Sorana Cirstea.
The sixth-seeded Russian lost the first three games before getting her act together to see off the world number 34 on a sunsoaked centre court.
She clinched nine games in a row after the shaky opening, wrapping it up on her second match point with a backhand passing shot.
Kuznetsova, who had only one win under her belt on clay in this season’s European claycourt swing, will face Andrea Petkovic in the second round after the Germany beat Russia’s Elena Vesnina 4-6 6-1 6-4.
Second seed Venus Williams took the first step towards a maiden French Open title when she outgunned Patty Schnyder 6-3 6-3.
Venus, who lost the 2002 final to sister Serena, could have expected a trickier match against Schnyder but the wily Swiss has been struggling with injury and she eased to the opening set in 32 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Wearing a risque dark outfit that resembled a nightdress, Venus broke in game eight of the second to lead 5-3 and she eventually served out for victory in an hour and 20 minutes, sealing the win with a forehand winner.
She now plays Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara or Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain for a place in the third round.
Belarusian 10th seed Victoria Azarenka became the first major casualty of the tournament as she was obliterated 6-1 6-2 by Argentine Gisela Dulko.
Azarenka, who reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last year before losing to eventual runner-up and then world number one Dinara Safina, has been struggling for form of late and has won just two matches in her last four tournaments.
The 20-year-old grew increasingly frustrated as she failed to find the court with a series of ground-strokes before eventually succumbing after 72 minutes.
Dulko will next face Chanelle Scheepers after the South Africa dampened home spirits by beating Mathilde Johansson 6-2 6-4 to record her first ever victory at the French Open.
France’s Aravane Rezai followed up her Madrid title with a crushing 6-1 6-1 demolition of Canadian qualifier Heidi El Tabakh.
Wearing an eye-catching black and gold space-age dress on centre court, the 15th-seeded Rezai cracked winner after winner to blast past her helpless opponent in just 48 minutes.
Rezai, who beat Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams en route to winning the Madrid Open last weekend, wrapped up a straightforward victory with an ace.
She will next face Angelique Kerber, after the German recovered from a set down to beat Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4.
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez was the second seed to crash out of the opening round in Paris, losing 6-2 6-4 to Uzbek Akgul Amanmuradova.
Martinez Sanchez, seeded 30, stunned Caroline Wozniacki, Lucie Safarova, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic on her way to winning in Rome at the beginning of the month but could do nothing to stop Amanmuradova, who will face Johanna Larsson in the second round after the Swede beat Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova 6-2 6-2, also a winner this month in Estoril.
Slovakia’s 26th seed Dominika Cibulkova, who broke through the ranks by reaching the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, wasted little time in progressing to the next round as she demolished Ekaterina Ivanova 6-2 6-0.
Cibulkova will face Vavara Lepchenko in the second round after the 24-year-old won an all-American clash against Christina McHale 7-5 6-3.
Russian 30th seed Maria Kirilenko also booked her place in the second round without too much trouble, beating Croat Karolina Sprem 7-6(5) 6-4.
Kirilenko will next face Yvonne Meusburger after the Austrian eased past American Claire Feuerstein 7-6(4) 6-3.