Novak Djokovic took his unbeaten record in 2011 to 38 wins on Monday before Grand Slam king Roger Federer demonstrated to the unstoppable Serb that he is still a French Open force. Second seed Djokovic enjoyed a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 dismissal of hapless Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker in the first round before 16-time Grand Slam title-winner Federer romped to a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Spain's Feliciano Lopez.
Also going through on a sweltering day at Roland Garros was former US Open champion, and 2009 semi-finalist here, Juan Martin del Potro, a winner in four sets against Croatia's Ivo Karlovic. One day after his 24th birthday, the red-hot, world number two Djokovic comfortably saw off the 71st-ranked De Bakker in just 92 minutes.
Djokovic, who is likely to depose Rafael Nadal as world number one by the end of the tournament, is also favourite to snatch the Spaniard's French Open title, having seen off his rival in the Madrid and Rome claycourt finals. His win on Monday took him to within four victories of equalling John McEnroe's 1984 record for a winning season start of 42 triumphs.
"It's my favourite Grand Slam, even though I haven't won it yet," said Djokovic, a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2008. "I've been playing really well on clay. I've won three (claycourt) tournaments (Belgrade, Madrid and Rome) in the last few weeks, so I'm trying to build on that confidence," added Djokovic, whose complete winning streak has now reached 40 matches, stretching back to Serbia's Davis Cup triumph in December.
Djokovic, the Australian Open champion, who has seven titles under his belt already this year, will play either French wild card Benoit Paire or Romania's Victor Hanescu for a place in the last 32. He had won all his previous eight matches against Lopez but would have been wary of an opponent who had a match point in their last encounter at the Madrid Masters second round earlier this month.
Federer will next tackle French wild card Maxime Teixeira for a place in the last 32. Argentina's del Potro overcame a first-set blip to defeat Karlovic. Del Potro, who was a doubt for the tournament because of a hip injury, having missed the 2010 event due to wrist surgery, claimed a 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win.
The 25th-seed hit 21 unforced errors to Karlovic's 42 and will next face Slovenia's Blaz Kavcic, with Djokovic a potential third round opponent. Top seed Nadal, bidding to equal Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles, gets his campaign underway on Tuesday against John Isner of the United States. Results from the first day of the 2011 French Open at Roland Garros on Monday (x denotes seeded player):
Men (1st round) Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x28) bt Denis Gremelmayr (GER) 7-6 (7/2), 6-1, 6-3; Mardy Fish (USA x10) bt Ricardo Mello (BRA) 6-2, 6-7 (11/13), 6-2, 6-4; Albert Ramos (ESP) bt Javier Martí (ESP) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; Simone Bolelli (ITA) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN) 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2; Viktor Troicki (SRB x15) bt Julian Reister (GER) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Bernard Tomic (AUS) 7-5, 6-4, 6-2; Alejandro Falla (COL) bt Potito Starace (ITA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-1, 6-1; Steve Darcis (BEL) bt Michael Llodra (FRA x22) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Philipp Petzschner (GER) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 6-4' Gael Monfils (FRA x9) bt Bjorn Phau (GER) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-0; Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Florent Serra (FRA) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; Janko Tipsarevic (SRB x29) bt Brian Dabul (ARG) 7-6 (7/1), 6-1, 6-0; Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3); Stephane Robert (FRA) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x6) 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 9-7; Marsel Ilhan (TUR) bt Tommy Haas (GER) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4; Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4; Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x12) bt Go Soeda (JPN) 7-5, 6-2, 6-4; Thomaz Belluci (BRA x23) bt Andrey Golubev (KAZ) 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5); Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x25) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 7-5, 6-4; Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Thiemo de Bakker (NED) 6-2, 6-1, 6-3.
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