• French Open, Day Three

Stosur & Bartoli find different routes to second round

Former French Open finalist Samantha Stosur overcame a rain delay to book her place in the second round at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

Stosur, runner-up to Francesca Schiavone three years ago, was kept off court for nearly three hours by heavy rain - but that delay did not affect her, as she quickly despatched 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-0 6-2.

The Australian won the opening nine games of the contest and, perhaps unsurprisingly, never looked back.

"I was happy to get out there and start," Stosur said afterwards. "It was spitting a little bit when we went out there. You think, 'Oh, are we going to start or are we not?' Lucky for me I was able to finish the match before this last downpour came."

Another burst of rain caused further delays mid-afternoon, affecting a gruelling first round encounter for home favourite Marion Bartoli - who was on court for over three hours before finally beating Olga Govortsova.

In a contest that saw umpteen changes in momentum - particularly in a rollercoaster third set - Bartoli eventually crossed the line, although not without inviting the frustration of the Paris crowds with some of her play.

Having come back from 4-5 in the third set, the Frenchwoman needed nearly 15 minutes and five match points to finally serve out a 7-6(7) 4-6 7-5 triumph.

Samantha Stosur was delayed by the rain, but not derailed © AP

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Only four matches were completed in the early part of Wednesday, with Jelena Jankovic successfully overcoming a difficult opening encounter with Daniela Hantuchova. The 18th seed edged the opening set, but needed a second set tiebreak to avoid being forced into a decider as she escaped with a 6-4 7-6(7) win.

Elsewhere, there were wins for Yaroslava Shvedova and Mariana Duque-Marino.

The various rain delays ravaged the planned schedule in Paris, with Victoria Azarenka's first round match the most high profile cancellation. She will now have to wait until Wednesday to get her campaign underway - as will British hopeful Heather Watson, who is returning from glandular fever.

"It definitely wasn't time off, it was time recovering," Watson told Eurosport after a practice session on Wednesday. "Mentally I'm so ready. Physically I feel really good; I'm very pleased at how I'm hitting the ball."

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