“I’ve never seen her play. I knew how she's playing because I saw her practicing. It's tough to say. First set I was pretty dominant. Second set I was up a break. Third set I was 4-1 double break up. I should have closed it in two sets. She plays aggressive. That's it,” Dinara Safina explained.

Another former No. 1 – 12th seed Maria Sharapova – was able to progress into the second round. She found her rhythm to beat 18-year-old Russian qualifier Ksenia Pervak 6-3, 6-2, continuing her good form after winning the Strasbourg title earlier this month.

Belgium’s Justine Henin, who has also topped the WTA Ranking in her career, also progressed. Henin has not been on the Roland Garros courts since 2007, when she claimed the last of her four titles.

She was up against Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in her opener, needing an hour and a half to finish her rival off, 6-4, 6-3. Next up for Henin is Klara Zako'palova from the Czech Republic.

In the men’s game, clay specialist Rafael Nadal took two hours to get through his first round tie against 18-year-old native Gianni Mina. The Spaniard took all three sets 6-2 as he bids to win the French Open for the fifth time.

Meanwhile, sixth seed Andy Roddick has had a harder time. The American was taken the distance by Finland’s Jarko Nieminen. Roddick grabbed the first set, only to lose the next two that followed. Roddick battled back, however, capitalizing on Nieminen's double fault in the decider.

The five set thriller took three hours and 19 minutes, ending 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.