Paris: France's Amelie Mauresmo showed glimpses of her past brilliance to reach the second round of the French Open with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 win over Ukraine's Olga Savchuk on Tuesday.
The former world No.1, seeded 22nd, needed two hours and 29 minutes to down her opponent and book a second-round meeting with Spanish qualifier Carla Suarez Navarro, who beat France's Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
"There were ups and downs in the first two sets but obviously the third was much better," Mauresmo said in a courtside interview.
"I came here with little preparation, I had not worked on my serve because of my injury. Now, anything can happen, we'll see."
Mauresmo, who had not played since a Fed Cup tie in Japan last month because of an abdominal injury, dropped serve three times in a scrappy first set but managed to break four times to take the early initiative.
A bold Savchuk, however, piled on the pressure in the second set and broke decisively in the 10th game to level the contest.
Mauresmo, who has two Grand Slam titles to her name but has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in Paris, found her flowing backhand in the decider to wrap it up on her third match point.
Compatriot Marion Bartoli, Wimbledon runner-up last year and seeded ninth, was facing Australian Casey Dellacqua on the Suzanne Lenglen court in another first-round match.
Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko did not let a lengthy rain disruption or an injury timeout distract him from cruising into the second round of the French Open with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Sweden's Thomas Johansson on Tuesday.
The Russian looked sharp throughout the contest despite requiring a rub down and strapping on his left thigh at the end of the second set.
Moments later, the players had to flee for cover as rain pelted down over Suzanne Lenglen Court.
Upon resumption, almost three hours later, Davydenko proved to be just as relentless and immediately broke the former Australian Open champion.
That was enough to shatter Johansson's resolve and he bowed out by slapping a backhand into the net.
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"I'm happy to have won in three sets and finished my match today. I hope I can already prepare for the next match tomorrow," Davydenko told a press conference.
The Russian, a semi-finalist last year in Paris, will next face either fellow Russian and former world number one Marat Safin or qualifier Jean-Rene Lisnard of Monaco.
Kuznetsova throws down gauntlet
Svetlana Kuznetsova showed immaculate timing in every sense on Tuesday, first by dodging the Paris showers and then by pummelling Japan's Aiko Nakamura in their opening-round French Open clash.
Left to wait almost three hours before the rain ceased, the fourth seed hit the ground running and beat her 24-year-old opponent 6-2, 6-3 in 64 minutes, finishing the rout just moments before the heavens opened once again.
Kuznetsova was beaten by Justine Henin in the 2006 final at Roland Garros and the diminutive Belgian, whose shock retirement this month threw the field wide open, has suggested the Russian could be the heir apparent to her clay crown.
"I had a short chat with her when she was here. She said, 'Come on, maybe it can be your year'," the 22-year-old Kuznetsova said.
"She cheered me up so I thank her for that. I had a very good relationship with her, respected her when she played. Now I respect her with her achievements. She was one of the best athletes, and it's really sad she is leaving."
The Russian proved too strong for Nakamura, who took her lamentable main draw record at Roland Garros to 0-4.
She broke the Japanese serve twice in the first set and again in game seven of the second after her opponent threatened to make a match of it at 3-3.
The Russian broke again in the final game, clinching victory when Nakamura's forehand ballooned over the baseline and she now faces either American Vania King or French wildcard Violette Huck in the second round.
While the likes of Maria Sharapova and Anna Chakvetadze have not struck a ball in anger because of the Paris drizzle, Kuznetsova said she was going to savour the psychological edge her quick win had given her.
"I think it's very important, and I'm really happy. I was lucky that I haven't been cancelled. I get in my match, so I have the rest of the day to relax, to take it easy, and tomorrow I will practice and get prepared for my next match."
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