PARIS (AFP) - Former world No.1 Gustavo Kuerten retired from tennis after losing 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to France's Paul-Henri Mathieu in an emotional first round tie at the French Open on Sunday.

The three times former champion at Roland Garros (1997, 2000 and 2001) had already made clear his intention of retiring after playing for a final time in Paris, the scene of his greatest triumphs.

The 31-year-old Brazilian has been crippled by chronic pain in his hips and despite several operations he has been unable to get back to full fitness.

Having won just one of the five games he had played on the ATP circuit this year, Kuerten admitted beforehand that he had little chance of surviving the first round of the year's second Grand Slam tournament, especially after being drawn against a tough home-turf opponent in 18th seeded Mathieu.

But that did not deter his ever-faithful fans from filling up the Philippe Chatrier centre court with several yellow and blue Brazilian flags fluttering in the light breeze.

Kuerten brought out a big cheer when he managed to hold on to his opening service game to level at 1-1, but two games later Mathieu, regarded by many as the best French hope this year for a first home win since Yannick Noah in 1983, broke to take a 3-1 lead.

He wrapped up the set 6-3 in just 31 minutes and it was clear that it would take a near miracle to save the Brazilian who had little more than his big, swinging serve to fall back on.

Clad in the same Brazilian shirt and headband colours that he sported throughout his triumphant 1997 campaign in Paris, Kuerten held firm until 3-3 in the second set, but Mathieu got the break he was looking for when his tired-looking opponent flapped a forehand into the net after a long, punishing rally.

There was one final fling of the dice from Kuerten, however, as he momentarily rolled back the years to break back to 4-4 thanks to a series of piledrivers off the backhand side.

But after dropping his serve again in the following game, Kuerten needed courtside treatment on his painful hip and it was just a question of whether or not he could finish the match.

Mathieu duly wrapped up the set 6-4 and it was mainly one-way traffic after that as one of the most popular of all French Open champions bit the dust for a final time albeit with a smile on his face.

He left to a standing ovation.