• French Open, Day Three

Safina tumbles as Henin makes a winning return in Paris

Dinara Safina was the top seed at Roland Garros last year © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Nadal forced to dig deep against plucky Mina
  
• News: O'Brien toppled by Craybas
  
• News: Williams breezes into round two
  
• Profile: Justine Henin | Dinara Safina | Maria Sharapova

Day Three in pictures
Men's round-up: Day Three

Former world No. 1 Dinara Safina was sent crashing out of the French Open at the first round stage by Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm.

Last year's finalist looked to be on course for a comfortable victory as she raced to a 3-0 lead in the first before wrapping up the opening set in just over half an hour. Safina snatched an early break in the second, but the world No. 72 dug deep to force the match to a decider.

Once more, Safina broke early, but Date Krumm battled back and twice forced Safina to serve for the set. Safina was made to pay for her inability to close out the match as her serve fell to pieces, serving 17 double faults.

Justine Henin eased into the second round with a comfortable victory over Tsvetana Pironkova.

It was an efficient if not spectacular performance by the No. 22 seed, who needed just an hour-and-a-half to wrap up a 6-4 6-3 victory. Henin, making her first appearance at Roland Garros since 2007, will be pleased to progress.

But the four-time champion, who crashed out in the opening round of the Madrid Open a fortnight ago, got off to a shaky start and Pironkova grabbed an early break. The world No. 81, who has never made it past the second round in Paris, started strongly, and Henin looked bewildered as a number of forehands flashed past her.

But she never looked in any danger of an upset, and the world No. 1 stepped up a gear and broke back almost immediately. Although her opponent hit fewer unforced errors, Henin dictated the play for much of the match and hit three times as many winners. The former world No. 1 will now meet Klara Zakopalova in round two.

Maria Sharapova began her campaign with a win © Getty Images

Enlarge

Maria Sharapova went one better than she did at the Australian Open after she sealed a place in the second round in Paris with a defeat of Ksenia Pervak. The 12th seed, who won the Strasbourg International title last week, now moves on to face Kirsten Flipkens.

Britain's Katie O'Brien recovered from a first-set thrashing to take her match against Jill Craybas to three sets, but the American moved into round two with a 6-0 4-6 6-2 victory.

No. 13 seed Marion Bartoli severed a dismal run on clay by cruising past Maria Elena Camerin 6-2 6-3. The Italian had won just one of her four games on the surface this year coming into the tournament, but she showed no sign of her troubles as she produced just nine unforced errors.

Australian Open semi-finalist Jie Zheng does not have a great record at Roland Garros - she has never progressed past the fourth round - but the No. 25 seed looked in good shape during a 7-5 6-4 win against Ekaterina Bychkova.

In the battle of the Americans on Court 6, it was Bethanie Mattek-Sands who surprised Vania King 6-2 6-2. Mattek-Sands, who failed the qualify for the event after twisting her ankle in the third round of qualfiying, was handed a place in the draw after China's Shuai Peng withdrew.

Mattek-Sands will now meet No. 18 seed Shahar Peer, who continued her impressive run of form with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Spanish qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives.

Also through to the second round are Vera Zvonareva , who outclassed Italy's Alberta Brianti 6-3 6-1, Daniela Hantuchova, Yanina Wickmayer and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.