PARIS: Roger Federer enlivened a routine day at the office with a violet and pink outfit and a several dabs of brilliance to launch another French Open quest but his mood darkened after a security breach on Sunday.

The evergreen Swiss was in full control against Colombia’s Alejandro Falla, marking the start of his 62nd consecutive appearance at a grand slam tournament with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory on court Philippe Chatrier.

When he walked off, however, a fan sauntered on and began trying to snap a selfie with a mobile phone before he was belatedly removed by a security guard.

“I’m not happy about it. Obviously not one second I’m happy about it. It happened yesterday in the practice, too,” a ruffled Federer told reporters, adding that organisers had apologised.

The 17-times major winner, champion at Roland Garros in 2009, was the star turn on a low-key opening day in a sunny French capital, taking to the court after women’s third seed Simona Halep got the ball rolling.

Romanian Halep, seeded three after reaching the final last year, was made to work hard by 91st-ranked Russian Evgeniya Rodina, huffing and puffing her way to a 7-5, 6-4 victory.

Up against Halep in the second round will be veteran Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who defeated American Lauren Davis 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Lucic-Baroni, who won her first match at Roland Garros since 2002, upset Halep at the US Open last year.

“It was a tough match, because it was the first round and it is always is difficult to start the tournament,” she told reporters. “I did make some easy mistakes, but it’s normal and I accept that. Next round I will be better, for sure.”

Federer also made a few errors as he loosened up against a player he almost fell to in the first round at Wimbledon in 2010. But he was never in any danger.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion broke for a 2-1 lead in the second set and wrapped it up with another break in the ninth game. Falla called a trainer to get his right thigh massaged in the third set, then was broken in the 10th game when he sent a shot wide.

Federer, conveniently in the opposite side of the draw to nine-time champion Rafa Nadal, world number one Novak Djokovic and third seed Andy Murray, will have a few days off before a clash with Spain’s Marcel Granollers.

PARIS: Japan’s Kei Nishikori hits a return to Paul-Henri Mathieu of France during their first-round match at the French Open on Sunday.—AP

Federer’s Davis Cup team-mate Stan Wawrinka, the eighth seed, took just 96 minutes to make the second round, seeing off Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Wawrinka, who made the last-eight in 2013, goes on to face either Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.

Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori enjoyed a 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 win over France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu and next faces either Australia’s Marinko Matosevic or Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil.

Latvian 24th seed Ernests Gulbis, who knocked Federer out in the fourth round last year on his way to the semi-finals, defeated Dutchman Igor Sijsling 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) for only his third win all year.

The first seeded player to bow out was No 25 Ivo Karlovic, who lost 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4 to Marcos Baghdatis while Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga rounded off proceedings, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 against Swedish qualifier Christian Lindell.

Germany’s Philip Kohlschreiber, beaten by Murray in a marathon match here last year, dropped only three games against Japan’s Go Soeda, while Spain’s Roberto Bautista-Agut beat German Florian Mayer, also in straight sets.

Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny’s tournament did not last long. He quit when trailing Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur 6-2 6-1 — smashing his racket into his forehead several times as his frustration boiled over.

On the women’s side, the ninth-seeded Russian Ekaterina Markova breezed past American wild card Louisa Chirico 6-4, 6-2 and Serbian seventh seed Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, battled back to defeat Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Spanish 21st seed Garbine Muguruza, who shocked Serena Williams in the second round last year, beat Croatian qualifier Petra Martic 6-2, 7-5.

Croatian 18-year-old Donna Vekic, coached by 1997 champion Iva Majoli, put out French 31st seed Caroline Garcia 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 for her first win at the tournament.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2015

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