PARIS, May 26: Ice-cool under a blistering sun, Maria Sharapova repelled the free hitting of French wildcard Aravane Rezai and the hopes of a Roland Garros crowd to reach the third round of the claycourt grand slam on Thursday. After a shaky first round in which she was stretched to three sets by fellow Russian Evgenia Linetskaya, the second seed upped her game to beat fellow 18-year-old Rezai 6-3 6-2 on centre court.

Men’s third seed Marat Safin emulated his compatriot’s achievement, thundering into the third round with a 6-7 6-3 7-5 6-1 win over Czech Lukas Dlouhy.

The Australian Open champion next faces fellow former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero after the Spanish former champion beat Czech Jan Hernych 6-4 6-4 6-2. Sharapova dismissed concerns over her claycourt form with an assured performance against a gutsy opponent buoyed by her home fans.

Rezai, ranked 242 places behind the world number two, had a simple game plan: to pelt the ball as hard as she could and go for winners. It served her well in the opening exchanges as she streaked into a 3-1 lead but Wimbledon champion Sharapova kept her cool to reel in the Frenchwoman.

The Russian said she had twisted her ankle early in the match which distracted her but insisted it had not been a factor.

Third seed Amelie Mauresmo and Moscow-born Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin soon restored some home pride, however.

Seventeenth seed Golovin thrashed Antonella Serra Zanetti 6-0 6-1 to advance while Maursemo pummelled Rezai’s friend Alize Cornet 6-0 6-2.

Mauresmo eased up on her admirer towards the end, allowing her to win two games in the second set.

Belgian former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne refused to let a sore back sidetrack her as she beat Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-1 6-4.

The 2003 champion made her comeback to the tour two months ago after spending six months out recovering from a viral illness.

Although she has emerged as one of the favourites for the French Open after capturing three successive titles, concerns about her fitness were again raised when the 10th seed called the trainer for her back while leading 5-0 in the first set.

Last year’s runner-up Guillermo Coria advanced after his Serbian opponent Novak Djokovic retired from their match with respiratory problems.

Argentine Coria, runner-up to compatriot Gaston Gaudio last year, was leading 4-6 6-2 3-2 when a hobbling Djokovic quit.

Thursday’s results

Men’s singles (second round): Guillermo Coria (ARG) bt Novak Djokovic (SEM) 4-6, 6-2, 3-2 (abandon); Guillermo Canas (ARG ) bt Albert Montanes (ESP) 6-1, 6-3, 6-4; Tommy Haas (GER) bt Vincent Spadea (USA) 6-4, 6-3, abandon; Jurgen Melzer (AUT) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS ) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5); Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) bt Olivier Rochus (BEL) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3; Mariano Puerta (ARG) bt Kristof Vliegen (BEL) 6-3, 7-5, 6-2; Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) bt Chris Guccione (AUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) bt Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2; Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2; Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt James Blake (USA) 6-7 (9/11), 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4; Nicolas Kiefer (GER) bt Arnaud Clement (FRA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Marat Safin (RUS ) bt Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 7-5, 6-1; Filippo Volandri (ITA) bt Flavio Saretta (BRA) 6-4, 6-1, 6-2; David Sanchez (ESP) bt Thomas Johansson (SWE) 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4; Tommy Robredo (ESP x15) bt Dick Norman (BEL) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

Women’s singles (second round): Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) bt Klara Koukalova (CZE) 6-4, 6-3; Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) bt Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) 6-1, 6-4; Nadia Petrova (RUS ) bt Severine Beltrame (FRA) 6-1, 6-3; Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) bt Magdalena Maleeva (BUL) 6-3, 6-4; Shahar Peer (ISR) bt Kveta Peschke (CZE) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-3, 6-4; Ana Ivanovic (SEM) bt Iveta Benesova (CZE) 6-3, 6-1; Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Aravane Rezai (FRA) 6-3, 6-2; Tatiana Golovin (FRA) bt Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA) 6-0, 6-1; Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) bt Kristina Brandi (PUR) 7-6 (7/2), 6-0; Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-0, 6-2; Elena Bovina (RUS) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4; Francesca Schiavone (ITA/N.22) bat Nicole Vaidisova (TCH) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).—Agencies