PARIS: Jelena Jankovic dominated her opponent before a 2-hour rain delay today, and then did well enough after it to advance to the second round of the French Open beating Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-3.

The fifth-seeded Jankovic was leading 4-1 when the rain started at Roland Garros. She quickly closed out the first set when play resumed and continued to play well on Cetkovska’s serve in the second but was broken twice on her own. While serving for the match, Jankovic again struggled and was forced to save break points before finally winning.

Jankovic finished last season as the top-ranked player on the women’s tour, but the 24-year-old Serb is still looking to win her first Grand Slam singles title after losing in the final of last year’s US Open.

Seventh-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova also advanced, defeating Claire Feuerstein of France 6-1, 6-4. The 2004 US Open champion also dominated before the rain started falling, leading 5-1. India’s Sania Mirza was knocked out by Kazakhstan’s Galina Voskoboeva 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). Voskoboeva will play Kuznetsova in the second round.

In the men’s tournament, fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic advanced when Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador retired while trailing 6-3, 3-1 after injuring his left ankle. The fourth-seeded Djokovic has reached the semi-finals at the French Open the last two years. He also won the 2008 Australian Open.

Fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina beat Michael Llodra of France 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. No 27 Rainer Schuettler of Germany was shut out 6-0, 6-0, 6-4 loss to Marc Gicquel of France. No 11 Gael Monfils of France also advanced, easily beating Bobby Reynolds of the United States 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 despite being hampered by an injury to his left knee.