Third seed Novak Djokovic overcame a bout of first-day jitters to beat Denis Gremelmayr 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-2 in the first round of the French Open.

The Australian Open champion was second best in the early stages against the German, making his first appearance at Roland Garros, but the left-hander's winners dried up and Djokovic took control to win in two hours 29 minutes.

Gremelmayr, a semi-finalist in Barcelona this month, raced to leads of 4-0 and 5-1 in the opener, using a mix of lightning speed round the court and inch-perfect depth on his groundstrokes to put Djokovic on the back foot.

The Serbian, who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final here last year, rallied back to 5-4 and despite two nervy double faults in the decisive 10th game Gremelmayr served out for the set in 34 minutes.

Djokovic saved two break points in the opening game of the second before breaking in game eight and then levelling the match.

The Serbian allowed a 5-2 lead to slip in the third as his opponent enjoyed a minor revival. A 28-shot rally which saw the German tirelessly chase the ball had Djokovic bowing over the net in respect after he had punched away the winner.

Djokovic broke again in the 11th game and served out for the set before sealing the third with ease, clinching victory when the world number 64 netted a forehand.

He will play Spanish qualifier Miguel Angel Lopez Jaen in round two with a third-round berth against Argentine loose cannon Guillermo Canas a possibility.

Former champion and 16th seed Carlos Moya was not as fortunate as Djokovic, as he failed to match the tenacity of Argentine qualifier Eduardo Schwank and slumped to a 7-6 6-2 6-7 4-6 6-3 defeat.

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.

Elsewhere, Gustavo Kuerten's French Open career came to an emotional end when he lost 6-3 6-4 6-2 to Paul-Henri Mathieu.

The former three-times Roland Garros champion, 1,141st in the world after a series of hip problems, could not hold back the tears at the end of the match.

"Here is my life, my passion and my love," Kuerten said after being presented with a slice of clay court by the president of the French federation.

"It's great to be here with my family, my coach. But the most important (thing) is the love you gave me."

Kuerten has said the French Open would be the last tournament of his farewell tour that started in Costa Do Sauipe, Brazil, in February.

A winner at Roland Garros in 1997, 2000 and 2001, Kuerten arrived in Paris having won only one match this season in his hometown of Florianopolis.

Kuerten received a standing ovation when he stepped on to Centre Court, with Brazilian flags and thank-you banners waved in the stands.

The wiry Brazilian was already groaning by the end of the warm-up, however, and could not match Mathieu's power and pace.

Kuerten, who had drawn a heart with his racket on the court following his third Paris title, gave his all on the red dust.

Although he dropped serve only once in the first set, Guga did not have a single break point on Mathieu's serve.

In the second set it looked like Mathieu, who often crumbles under pressure, might struggle when Kuerten had his first break point to level at 4-4.

The elegant Kuerten delighted the nostalgic crowd with a backhand winner but paid for his effort in the next game and handed Mathieu the set.

He then called for treatment on a lower back problem and in spite of the pain, managed a series of broad smiles.

The match turned into an exhibition, with Kuerten coming behind Mathieu at the change of ends before the last game, jokingly wrapping his racket round the Frenchman's neck in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

He saved a first match point with a fine crosscourt forehand passing shot but could not stave off the second, his drop shot ending into the net.

Sixth seed David Nalbandian, meanwhile, crushed Argentine compatriot Carlos Berlocq 6-2 6-4 6-1 to book a place in the second round.

Nalbandian, who has never lost in the first round in seven visits to Roland Garros, made a shaky start, losing his second service game before reeling off four straight games to take the opening set in 30 minutes.

A single break in game three was enough for the 2002 Wimbledon finalist to clinch the second set and an immediate break in the third shattered Berlocq's resolve and Nalbandian wrapped up victory in an hour and 53 minutes.

The two-times French Open semi-finalist will face French wildcard Jeremy Chardy in the second round.

In the absence of an injured Andy Roddick, James Blake shoulders the responsibility of ending the U.S.'s men's Grand Slam drought which dates back to 2003.

The American stepped up to the challenge with a convincing 6-4 6-1 7-6 win over Germany's Rainer Schuettler.

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Reuters