PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - Holder Francesca Schiavone flashed past American Melanie Oudin 6-2 6-0 to race into the second round of the French Open as the claycourt grand slam effectively got underway on a sunny, hot Monday.
Following a low-key start to the tournament with none of the top six seeds in action on Sunday in both draws, fifth seed Schiavone was the first on court in an action-packed day.
The Italian needed just over an hour to dispatch the world number 88, quickly finding her groove after dropping serve in the opening game.
Fans were still queueing outside Roland Garros and the Philippe Chatrier stands were far from full when Schiavone waved the crowd goodbye with a big smile on her face.
Second seed Novak Djokovic was due up next on centre court, putting his 39-match winning streak on the line against Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker.
Later on Monday, 16-time grand slam champion Roger Federer starts his campaign against Spain's Feliciano Lopez, who almost recorded a first career win over the Swiss in the Madrid Masters earlier this month when he had a matchpoint before losing the third of three tiebreaks.
"The Lopez match in Madrid was a difficult first round, but I don't believe we're gonna play four or five tiebreakers," Federer said.
"It's not possible anyway. I believe the match will be interesting. We have known each other for a very long time, since we were juniors."
Federer has had a low-key season since winning in Doha in January, failing to add another title and losing to Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the third round at the Rome Masters and Austria's Juergen Melzer in Monte Carlo.
World number one Caroline Wozniacki begins her bid for a first grand slam title when the Dane faces Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm on Court One.
Date Krumm, 40, caused a stir last year at Roland Garros when she knocked out former world number one Dinara Safina.
Following a low-key start to the tournament with none of the top six seeds in action on Sunday in both draws, fifth seed Schiavone was the first on court in an action-packed day.
The Italian needed just over an hour to dispatch the world number 88, quickly finding her groove after dropping serve in the opening game.
Fans were still queueing outside Roland Garros and the Philippe Chatrier stands were far from full when Schiavone waved the crowd goodbye with a big smile on her face.
Second seed Novak Djokovic was due up next on centre court, putting his 39-match winning streak on the line against Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker.
Later on Monday, 16-time grand slam champion Roger Federer starts his campaign against Spain's Feliciano Lopez, who almost recorded a first career win over the Swiss in the Madrid Masters earlier this month when he had a matchpoint before losing the third of three tiebreaks.
"The Lopez match in Madrid was a difficult first round, but I don't believe we're gonna play four or five tiebreakers," Federer said.
"It's not possible anyway. I believe the match will be interesting. We have known each other for a very long time, since we were juniors."
Federer has had a low-key season since winning in Doha in January, failing to add another title and losing to Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the third round at the Rome Masters and Austria's Juergen Melzer in Monte Carlo.
World number one Caroline Wozniacki begins her bid for a first grand slam title when the Dane faces Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm on Court One.
Date Krumm, 40, caused a stir last year at Roland Garros when she knocked out former world number one Dinara Safina.
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