Clijsters buffeted but unbowed in Paris

Kim Clijsters blew hot and cold at the French Open yesterday before advancing to the second round with a 6-0 7-6 victory over France's Virginie Razzano.

The gusting wind proved no distraction for the twice former Roland Garros runner-up in the first set which the Belgian second seed won in 22 minutes.

Clijsters, though, is short of match practice on clay and she had to save three set points in the second set before wrapping up victory 7-4 in the tiebreak when Razzano tamely netted a forehand.

"In the second set I was making way too many unforced errors," admitted the US Open champion.

"This has been the most wind I've ever played in. It was tough conditions out there."

Russian 18th seed Elena Likhovtseva, who reached the semi-finals last year, suffered a first-round shock when she was hammered 6-1 6-1 by Croatia's Karolina Sprem out on court 17.

American James Blake, the eighth seed, exposed the claycourt fallibility of Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan in a 6-0 6-4 7-6 victory. Blake has never gone beyond the second round at Roland Garros.

He next faces talented Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, who beat Australian Wayne Arthurs in straight sets.

Former champions Gaston Gaudio and Juan Carlos Ferrero marched through to the second round.

Gaudio, the 10th seed who won the claycourt grand slam in 2004, ended a three-match losing streak with a stylish 6-2 6-2 6-2 thrashing of Croatian qualifier Roko Karanusic.

"It was quite easy to win for me. It's the first time he played in Roland Garros, so I made the most of that opportunity," said the Argentine.

Ferrero, the 2003 champion, had a little more difficulty disposing of 17-year-old Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro but eventually his pedigree saw him through 6-3 2-6 6-2 6-4.

The number 24 seed is in line to meet Gaudio in the third round.

Czech 11th seed Radek Stepanek ousted France's Michael Llodra 6-4 6-4 6-2 but 2001 semi-finalist Sebastien Grosjean, on his 28th birthday, cheered home fans with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 6-3 winner over Romanian Andrei Pavel.

Swiss women's seventh seed Patty Schnyder made light work of Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek, winning their first round match 6-1 6-2.

The Swiss faces a possible last eight showdown with world number one Amelie Mauresmo.

On her part, former world number one Venus Williams made a confident start to her French Open title bid with a 6-4 6-3 win over Austrian Sybille Bammer.

The 11th seed, runner-up at Roland Garros in 2002, dropped serve in the opening game of each set but recovered to win in 69 minutes and set up a match against Emma Laine of Finland.

Nadal breaks record

Spain's Rafael Nadal won a record 54th consecutive men's claycourt match when he beat Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-2 7-5 6-1 yesterday.

The defending champion surpassed the previous professional era record of 53 claycourt wins set by Argentine Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

Nadal was embraced by Vilas on centre court after the win and the Argentine presented the second seed with a trophy to commemorate his record.

The Spaniard, whose last defeat on clay was at the hands of Russian Igor Andreev in Valencia in April 2005, began as if he was in a hurry, making light of the breezy conditions.

He claimed the opening set in 28 minutes after two breaks of serve but Soderling, the world number 50, took advantage of a poor drop shot from Nadal to break for 4-2 in the second.

Nadal broke back immediately and again to lead 5-4 but Soderling levelled at 5-5. Nadal then broke for a third successive time before serving out for a two sets to love lead.

Another break in the first game of the third set seemed to deflate Soderling and Nadal clinched victory when the Swede netted a forehand after two hours, eight minutes.

Nadal, who has won three titles on clay this year and four in total in 2006, is looking to become the first man to defend his title since Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten won his third French Open crown in 2001.