Iga Swiatek started the defence of her French Open title on Monday with a straight sets dismissal of Rebecca Sramkova on centre court. The 23-year-old Pole won 6-3, 6-3.
"It is never easy to play the first match at the tournament," Swiatek told on-court interviewer Alizé Cornet.
"Rebecca was playing with a lot of freedom and attacking well with her forehand.
"I had to stay focused and use my weapons and wait for my moment."
Swiatek, the winner of four of the past five singles titles at the Roland Garros Stadium, has failed to lift another trophy since brandishing the the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen last June on centre court in Paris.
Following her elimination in the third round at the Italian Open in Rome in May, she dismissed her chances of adding another French Open crown.
Signs of such diffidence were evident in the first half an hour of her encounter with the world number 42. She appeared coiled and reluctant to dominate exchanges.
Surge for first set
But from 3-3, a three-game surge brought her the first set after 43 minutes.
The Swiatek of old would have continued the roll against lesser opposition.
But she lost her serve at the start of the second set and Sramkova dug in to suggest a battle.
But the 28-year-old Slovakian faltered in the middle of the set as Swiatek reeled off five consecutive games to take the set and match after 75 minutes.
Elsewhere in the women's draw, there was a surprise as the world number 68 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro walloped the ninth seeded American Emma Navarro 6-0, 6-1.
Twelfth seed Elena Rybakina averted a similar shock with a three-set victory over the Argentine qualifer Julia Riera.
