Andy Murray is hoping working with Ivan Lendl can help him achieve the small gains that can turn him into a grand slam champion.

Andy Murray sometimes makes a meal of his opening matches at the French Open, but the 25-year-old dined at the fast-food counter at Roland Garros yesterday. Murray swept aside Japan's Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 in just an hour and 35 minutes to book a place in the second round against Finland's Jarkko Nieminen. Apart from a blip in the early stages of the second set, it was a good start to what has always been the world No 4's most challenging Grand Slam.

There were no real alarms for Andy Murray as he eased into the second round of the French Open with a 6-1 7-5 6-0 victory over Tatsuma Ito of Japan this evening.

Anne Keothavong's hopes of representing Great Britain at the Olympics were dealt a blow as she was knocked out of the French Open in the first round by Hungary's Melinda Czink.

Maria Sharapova served notice of her intent at the French Open with a 'double bagel' victory over Romania's Alexandra Cadantu in the first round at Roland Garros.

Victoria Azarenka has enjoyed so much success since the start of this year that she has yet to face the jibes that are often aimed at female world No 1s. It helps, of course, that the 22-year-old from Belarus has won a Grand Slam title, which three of her recent predecessors who topped the rankings – Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina and Caroline Wozniacki – had not.

Laura Robson could not make the most of her second chance at the French Open as she was beaten 6-2 6-1 by 29th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues in the first round.

Elena Baltacha bowed out of the French Open as the British number one lost in straight sets to US Open champion Samantha Stosur.

Britain's Heather Watson qualified for the main draw at the French Open for the second successive year in emphatic style this morning.

Playing the Latvian Ernests Gulbis in an exhibition tournament might not seem the best preparation for the French Open, but with the year's second Grand Slam tournament starting on Sunday Andy Murray was happy to get a practice match under his belt yesterday.

Boris Becker believes Andy Murray might be better off pulling out of the French Open to let his back problem recover in time for Wimbledon and the Olympics.

It has not been the easiest of seasons for Heather Watson, but Britain's former US Open junior champion is hoping to revive memories of her good run at last year's French Open.

Heather Watson breezed through her first qualifying match at the French Open this morning against Canada's Sharon Fichman.

With six French Open titles already under his belt you would have thought that Rafael Nadal hardly needed a morale-booster going into Roland Garros, but the 25-year-old Spaniard struck a significant psychological blow with his 7-5, 6-3 victory over Novak Djokovic in the delayed final of the Rome Masters yesterday.