Paris:
Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova secured a second-round berth at the French Open with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 win against compatriot Ksenia Pervak here on Tuesday.
Sharapova, the 12th seed and a semi-finalist here in 2007, will meet Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens for a place in the last 32.
The Russian superstar and three-time Grand Slam champion was dogged by an elbow injury earlier this year but secured only the second claycourt title of her career -- and 22nd in total -- at Strasbourg last week.
She was broken in her opening service game against 18-year-old qualifier Pervak but broke back in the sixth game and then broke again for a 5-3 lead when Pervak went long with a backhand, before serving out for the set.
A pair of quick-fire breaks earned Sharapova the initiative in the second set and although Pervak broke back, she turned on the power to break again and move 4-1 ahead.
The world number 13 didn't look back, winning to love in her next service game and clinching victory on her third match point when Pervak looped a forehand wide.