Four-time winner Justine Henin made a nostalgic return to the French Open for the first time since the 2007 title, opening her campaign with a victory over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday.
Henin, who quit the game in 2008 for more than a year before rediscovering her motivation to play, claimed her 22nd consecutive victory at Roland Garros.
The 27-year-old Belgian’s 31 winners outweighed her 18 unforced errors against the number 81 whom she has now beaten four times.
Henin broke in the eighth game of the first set and reached the second round on a Pironkova error.
Fellow-Belgian Kristen Flipkens followed Henin with a win, defeating Japan’s Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-4. Israeli Shahar Peer stopped qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain, 6-1, 6-4.
Slovak Daniela Hantuchova beat Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-1 and Australian Anastasia Rodionova defeated Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-2.