The Brazilian has enjoyed a special relationship with Roland Garros since he celebrated his third and final triumph in 2001 by drawing a giant love-heart in the red clay with his racket.

He then lay down next to his impromptu artwork and blew kisses to the crowd.

Seven years on and struggling with a hip problem, his final hurrah ended with an emotional 6-3 6-4 6-2 defeat by local hope Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Kuerten won the trophy in 1997, 2000 and 2001.

There were flashes of brilliance from Kuerten, including saving a match point with a rasping forehand winner that drew applause even from Mathieu.

But, patched up for one final appearance on his beloved red dust, a hobbling Kuerten could coax no more magic from his weary legs and walked into retirement to a standing ovation with cries of 'Guga' ringing in his ears.

The Serb was the warm-up act for Kuerten's farewell on Centre Court and, unfortunately for the crowd, he kept the fans waiting almost 2-1/2 hours as he laboured to a 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-2 win over Germany's Denis Gremelmayr.

His compatriot and last year's runner-up Ana Ivanovic also had to work hard to defeat Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson 6-2 7-5.

Serena Williams, eager for a second French Open trophy following her success in 2002, began her campaign with a ruthless 6-2 6-1 win over Playboy magazine pin-up Ashley Harkleroad.

Along with Kuerten, Carlos Moya was another former champion who failed to survive the opening day.

The Spaniard could not match the tenacity of Argentine qualifier Eduardo Schwank and slumped to a 7-6 6-2 6-7 4-6 6-3 defeat.

Former semi-finalist Nicole Vaidisova failed to snap her wretched run of form when she became the first seeded casualty, thumped 7-6 6-1 by friend and fellow Czech Iveta Benesova.

It was the 15th seed's sixth successive defeat in 2008.

James Blake made sure there was no repetition of last year's US nightmare, when for the first time in 40 years no American man made it to the second round in Paris.

He won 6-4 6-1 7-6 against Germany's Rainer Schuettler.

Argentina's David Nalbandian and Briton Andy Murray also made it through.

Nampa-Reuters

Sport News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  Codes fall short on drug tests
•  Carter must wait
•  Resilient United impress Ferguson
•  Del Piero and Messi dish out best
•  Inline hockey Cup at Swakop
•  Wenger demands maturity
•  Football
•  Tjongarero stays
•  City shoot down Arrows
•  Sweden win World Cup
•  Hayatou to be re-elected
•  Hayatou to be re-elected
•  Bolton on rise after Sunderland rout
•  Ferguson still on
•  Gebrselassie Aussie race win
•  Wales beat Wallabies, NZ dominant
•  Internationals win Lexus Cup