Federer, Serena cruise as Murray toils in French Open

PARIS: Top seeds Roger Federer and Serena Williams, with 28 Grand Slam titles between them, enjoyed a French Open cruise on Monday as Andy Murray toiled through a five-set marathon in blistering sunshine.

Defending champion Federer began his campaign for a 17th major with a comfortable 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 win over Australia''s Peter Luczak.

Less than two hours later, with Paris temperatures soaring to 30 degrees, Williams, chasing a 13th Grand Slam crown, also made the second round with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 win over Switzerland''s Stefanie Voegele.

Federer, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning his first Roland Garros crown here in 2009, will face Colombia''s Alejandro Falla for a place in the last 32.

Meanwhile, Williams, the 2002 champion, showed no ill-effects from the recent knee problems that sidelined her for three months, as she fired 28 winners and 10 aces past Voegele, the world 76.

The American, who collected her 12th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, next faces Julia Goerges of Germany, but admitted she needs to step up her level.

British fourth seed Andy Murray toiled for over four hours to defeat France''s Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.

It was the second time at a Grand Slam that the Scotsman has defeated Gasquet in such dramatic circumstances -- in 2008 at Wimbledon, he also had to recover from two sets down to see off the stylish French player, who needed treatment on his left thigh as his challenge wilted.

Murray will now play unseeded Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela.

Third seed Novak Djokovic, recently laid low by an allergy, overcame a second-set blip to beat Kazakhstan''s Evgeny Korolev 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

The 2008 Australian Open champion, and a two-time French Open semi-finalist, will now face Japan''s Kei Nishikori, the world 246, who came back from two sets down to beat Santiago Giraldo of Colombia.

Spanish seeds Tommy Robredo and Feliciano Lopez were both first round losers.

Robredo, the 21st seed and a four-time quarter-finalist, lost to Serbia''s Viktor Troicki 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in what was the 28-year-old''s worst Paris loss.

Lopez, the 27th seed, was put out by German qualifier Julian Reister, the world 165, in straight sets.

Caroline Wozniacki, leading the chasing pack in pursuit of the Williams sisters, shrugged off ankle injury concerns to sweep into the women''s second round.

The 19-year-old Dane reeled off the first seven games of the match before clinching a 6-0, 6-3 win over Russian world 78 Alla Kudryavtseva, the 69-minute victory proving a crucial confidence-booster for the third seed.

Safely through also is Chinese number one Li Na, the 11th seed, who defeated last year''s junior champion Kristina Mladenovic of France 7-5, 6-3, wile Russian fifth seed Elena Dementieva beat Petra Martic of Croatia 6-1, 6-1.

Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, saw off Taiwan''s Kai-Chen Chang 6-3, 6-3 while fellow Serbian Jelena Jankovic, twice a semi-finalist, also went through 6-0, 6-4 against experienced Australian Alicia Molik.