The Argentinian 10th seed breezed past Croatian qualifier Roko Karanusic 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to set up a second round date with either Italy's Andreas Seppi or Evgeny Korolev of Russia.
PARIS: Gaston Gaudio, the 2004 French Open champion and one of a host of players praying that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal lose their way at Roland Garros, enjoyed a smooth passage into the second round on Monday.
The Argentinian 10th seed breezed past Croatian qualifier Roko Karanusic 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to set up a second round date with either Italy's Andreas Seppi or Evgeny Korolev of Russia.
Gaudio was the shock winner here two years ago when he came back from two sets down and saved two match points in the final to see off compatriot Guillermo Coria.
World number one and top seed Federer discovered who his second round opponent will be when Colombia's Alejandro Falla beat America's Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Defending champion Nadal, meanwhile, opens his campaign later on Monday against Sweden's Robin Soderling where a win would set a new all-time record of 54 successive wins on clay taking him past Guillermo Vilas's 1977 record of 53.
"I need one more match and I'm going to do my best but not to beat the record - to win Roland Garros," said the Spanish teenager.
The women's tournament lost its first seeded player when Russia's Elena Likhovtseva, the 18th seed and a semi-finalist last year, slumped to a 6-1, 6-1 defeat against Karolina Sprem of Croatia. There were no such problems for two other top players.
Patty Schnyder, the Swiss seventh seed, saw off Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek 6-1, 6-2 while Italy's Francesca Schiavone, the ninth seed, defeated Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-3, 6-4.
Second seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium, twice a runner-up, begins her campaign later Monday against France's Virginie Razzano while 11th seed Venus Williams takes on Austria's Sybille Bammer.
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