Fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova clinched her place in the second round of the French Open with a straight-sets victory over Japan's Aiko Nakamura.

The Russian claimed a 6-2 6-3 win on Court One just before the heavens opened in Paris.

The 22-year-old, who will next face either Vania King or Violette Huck, is bidding to add another Grand Slam success to her US Open triumph in 2004. She was the runner-up to Justine Henin at Roland Garros in 2006.Home favourite Amelie Mauresmo, the 22nd seed, overcame rain delays to brush aside Ukraine's Olga Savchuk 7-5 4-6 6-1.

Mauresmo has been flying the French flag for a number of years at her home grand slam, but not as much is expected of her this year with compatriots Marion Bartoli and Alize Cornet seeded above her.The 28-year-old, who has missed recent tournaments in Berlin and Rome with a rib injury, was far from convincing during her victory over Savchuk on Philippe Chatrier court.

Russia's Dinara Safina also advanced before the weather intervened, the 13th seed brushing aside Kateryna Bondarenko 6-1 6-3 on Court Three.Other seeds to progress on Tuesday were Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska (14), who saw off Mariya Koryttseva 6-4 6-3, and Japan's Ai Sugiyama (31), a three-set winner over Alla Kudryavtseva.Unseeded trio Sabine Lisicki, Olivia Sanchez and Carla Suarez Navarro also made their way into round two.

Maria Sharapova, the new world number one, was scheduled to be in action late on Tuesday but her match has already been put back to Wednesday.

From : http://ukpress.google.com/