Italian fifth seed Sara Errani, the 2012 runner-up, was the first player to reach the French Open second round on Sunday when she breezed past Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus 6-1 6-2.
Errani, beaten by Maria Sharapova in last year’s final, needed just 54 minutes to get past world No.86 Rus, who made the fourth round in 2012, but has not won a match on the main tour this year.
The 26-year-old Errani will face either Japan’s Ayumi Morita or Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva for a place in the last 32.
Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, struggled through with a 6-1 3-6 6-3 win over Croatia’s Petra Martic on a chilly Court Philippe Chatrier, where the temperatures hovered just above 10C.
After breezing through the opening set, the 25-year-old Serb saved three set points in the second before Martic, the world No.107 who made the last 16 in 2012, levelled the tie.
Ivanovic was 5-0 up in the decider before the nerves set in and she wasted four match points.
However, she settled herself in the ninth game, taking victory after almost two hours when Martic hit long.
She will next face either France’s Mathilde Johansson or Chanelle Scheepers for a place in the last 32.