Andre Agassi and Marat Safin showed little mercy for their hosts today advancing to the second round of Roland Garros at the expense of French players.
Fourth-seeded Agassi wasted no time dismissing French qualifier Eric Prodon 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, while Russia's number two seed Marat Safin came away the 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 winner over Michael Llodra.
Agassi, who took two weeks off after winning in Rome, will meet with Spaniard David Sanchez in the next round, as he bids for an eighth Grand Slam title and second in Paris.
Former US Open champion Safin faces Olivier Rochus of Belgium who beat Hungary's Attila Savolt 6-4, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.
In the women's event top seed Jennifer Capriati and third seed Serena Williams advanced to the second round as Russian pin-up Anna Kournikova crashed at the first hurdle.
World number one Capriati looked comfortable as she launched her title defence wrapping up her first round tie 6-3, 6-4 against fellow American Marissa Irvin in a match suspended at 4-2 overnight because of bad weather.
Capriati now meets another American Amy Frazier in the next round.
A colourful Williams also eased into the second round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Slovak Martina Sucha 6-3, 6-0 in 60mins.
The 1999 US Open champion got into the mood for the World Cup with an oufit in the colours of the Cameroon football team complete with yellow knee socks as she ran rings around her opponent.
Kournikova's miserable run continued as she was ground into the dust by wildcard Christina Wheeler, with the 193-ranked Australian coming away 6-4, 6-3 winner in 76 minutes.
Three-time champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario was also packing her bags as the veteran Spaniard suffered her worst finish in 16 years competing on the red clay at Roland Garros.
The number 15 seed crashed out 6-0, 6-1 to fellow Spaniard Marta Marrero, who is 11 years her junior.
Seventh seed Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia defeated Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland 6-4, 6-2 and faces either Conchita Martinez of Spain or Maria Elena Camerin of Italy.
Former champion Mary Pierce of France, making her comeback from a back and wrist injury ousted Kazak Irina Selyutina 7-5, 7-5 to advance to the second round.
Italy's Silvia Farina Elia, seeded ninth, advanced in her first round tie against Russian Elena Bovina 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, while tenth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France advanced to the third round by beating Australian Nicole Pratt 6-2, 6-1.
AFP