Paris: Even as former World No 1 Venus Williams recovered from a slow start to beat 19-year-old Paula Ormaechea of Argentina 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion lost to 88th-ranked Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the opening round of French Open here on Sunday. Meanwhile six Grand Slam champions successfully made their way through the first round of the French Open on the opening day.

Earlier, Sam Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova were first up on the main two courts, and both won in straight sets.

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Juan Martin del Potro soon followed on the same courts, and with similar results. And 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic then made it 5 for 5. 

Meanwhile ninth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro began his Roland Garros campaign with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1 victory over Albert Montanes of Spain on Sunday.

The 23-year-old del Potro hit 56 winners and won 74 per cent of his first serve points against Montanes, who he also beat en route to his 11th tour-level title at the Estoril Open earlier this month. Montanes committed 37 unforced errors - two fewer than del Potro - and drops to 7-12 on the season.

Del Potro moves on to face Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who defeated Canada's Vasek Pospisil 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. The Frenchman won 46 per cent of his return points to break Pospisil seven times.

Stanislas Wawrinka, the No. 18 seed and 2003 junior champion, battled past Flavio Cipolla of Italy 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, having hit 55 winners and four aces. The Swiss has reached the fourth round the past two years and will play Pablo Andujar next.

Andujar won his opening-round match for the fifth straight year, topping past quarter-finalist Victor Hanescu 6-1, 2-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Courtesy: www.atpworldtour.com/agencies