Fifth seed Serena Williams [Images] cruised into the French Open second round amid the evening gloom at Roland Garros after an easy win over fellow American Ashley Harkleroad on Sunday.

- Images from Day 1

Williams, the 2002 champion, was broken in her opening service game but reeled off 12 games out of 13 to win 6-2 6-1 in 76 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

The 26-year-old, a winner in Bangalore, Miami [Images] and Charleston already this year, was rocked on to the back foot in the early stages by the sprightly world number 61 but she soon found her rhythm, clubbing winners from both wings in the fading light.

After pulling off the one-sided win, Williams had an ominous warning for her rivals.

- French Open 2008: Complete Coverage

"I feel like I ultimately could have played better," said the former world number one, who is the only former champion in the women's draw.

Murray toils past French teenager

Andy Murray needed all his steely resolve to beat the youngest man in the field at the French Open on Sunday, finally triumphing 6-2, 1-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 against French wildcard Jonathan Eysseric.

The 10th seed, who faced a second successive grand slam first-round defeat, looked beguiled by the speed and angles of his 17-year-old opponent before finally crossing the finishing line in two hours and 44 minutes.

Murray, 21, was absent from last year's tournament due to a wrist injury and appeared to be cruising to his first win at Roland Garros when he wrapped up the opener in just 34 minutes.

The Scot, who lost to Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round at Melbourne Park in January, has endured a poor clay season and again looked vulnerable as Eysseric, 18 on Tuesday, exploded into life.

The dashing left-hander hit a succession of winners to lift the home crowd and level the match and he looked on the cusp of a shock when he clinched the third set 6-4 despite relinquishing a 5-1 lead.

But Murray, winner in Doha and Marseille this season, found an extra gear as Eysseric visibly tired and he reeled off 12 of the next 14 games to complete the comeback.

He now faces a tricky second-round encounter with clay specialist Jose Acasuso of Argentina and felt he had a good chance of progress.

Argentine qualifier sends Moya packing

Former champion and 16th seed Carlos Moya [Images] 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 in the first round.

The 31-year-old looked like he was on course to grind out victory when he clawed his way back from two sets down but failed to sustain the momentum and became the highest seed to exit the men's tournament.

Despite being ranked 57 places above an opponent making his grand slam debut, the Spaniard proved to be erratic with his choice of shots and paid the price by suffering his earliest defeat from the claycourt major since 2000.

The moment Schwank, 22, had sealed victory over the 1998 champion, he slumped on to his back and punched the air with both fists.

• Complete tennis coverage
• All you want to know about Sania Mirza