PHOTOS: Stosur, Del Potro shine on Day 1 of French Open

Australian Samantha Stosur wasted little time in a 6-4, 6-0 first-round dismissal of Britain's Elena Baltacha as the French Open got underway in bright sun and clear skies on Sunday.

The sixth-seeded Stosur, a Roland Garros runner-up in 2010, needed just over an hour to see off the world number 68 in front of a sparce crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Stosur ran into a spot of bother when Baltacha broke back in the ninth game but she upped the pace and won the remaining seven games, ending her opponent's ordeal with a return winner.

Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 French champion, blew kisses to the crowd after making short work of Spanish qualifier Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino in her opening match.

The Serbian, seeded 13th, finished off a 59-minute 6-1, 6-1 demolition with an ace.

Argentine Juan Martin del Potro survived an injury scare to book his place in the second round of the French Open with a 6-2, 6-7 6-2, 6-1 win against Spain's Albert Montanes.

The ninth-seeded Del Potro, a Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2009, received treatment on a sore left knee at the end of the second set before motoring through to prevail with a service winner on his first match point.

The 2009 US Open champion started brightly, sprinkling the court with forehand winners to open a 6-2, 4-2 lead before seizing up as claycourt specialist Montanes fought back to take the second set tiebreak 7-5.

Former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero knocked out battling local player, and Roland Garros debutant, Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 in bright sunshine on the Suzanne Lenglen Court.

The 25-year-old Frenchman, cheered heartily by fans in the half-full stands, needed two bouts of treatment on his serving arm at changeovers and saved two match points before putting a forehand long on the third.