But Tim Henman was made to pay for his sloppy showing as the sixth seed was ejected by Belgium’s Xavier Malisse 6-2 3-6 7-6 6-3.
Andre Agassi looked more impressive in his centre-court clash with David Sanchez and triumphed when the Spaniard retired injured while Agassi was leading 4-6 6-2 6-1.
The fourth seed, champion here in 1999, could next face another Spaniard in Tommy Robredo.
“Three sets is three sets... it is not the full test, but I felt pretty good out there,” he said.
If Capriati was never really in danger during her victory against the 61st-ranked Frazier, neither was she at her best during the clumsy 69-minute contest.
One statistic summed up the match — 14 breaks of serve in 19 games.
“With the (rainy) weather, we’re not having a lot of practice time. It’ll get better,” she said.
“My serve sometimes is not consistent although overall I think it’s been okay.”
Undoubtedly the cloudy weather and humidity from previous days made the Philippe Chatrier court slow and heavy, not favouring attacking tennis.
But it was overall an inconsistent performance from the Australian Open champion, even though she eventually obtained a predictable fourth victory in four encounters with Frazier.
She also took her unbeaten run at Roland Garros to nine matches.
Capriati should have a much easier task in the next round as she will meet Australian Evie Dominikovic, ranked a modest 111th in the world.
Sixteenth seed Barbara Schett stumbled, however, the Austrian losing 5-7 6-3 7-5 to American Chanda Rubin.
It was better news for the 17th seed Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand. She advanced with a 6-4 1-6 6-3 victory over Jana Kandarr.
Henman’s careless defeat was a particularly disappointing one for the Briton as he had wanted to settled an old score with Malisse.
In their only previous meeting at the 2001 U.S. Open, the Belgian also beat Henman in a tough five setter — a defeat which Henman found difficult to digest as Malisse had just taken up the services of the Briton’s former long-time coach David Felgate.
Despite Felgate being out of the equation now, Malisse still dominated his higher-ranked opponent as Henman failed to fire on the slow, red clay.
“He’s a tough player and you have to give him credit for that,” a stony-faced Henman said afterwards.
“I am very, very disappointed right now.”
Germany’s number three seed Tommy Haas cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez of Spain.
Haas now faces Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen in the third round.
DOKIC SERVES NOTICE: Jelena Dokic served notice on Thursday she will be a threat for the title, notching up a gutsy 3-6 7-6 6-2 second round win over 2000 finalist and ex-Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.
The Spaniard was a familiar foe for Dokic. This was their ninth meeting and though Dokic lost their first five encounters, she has won the last four.
By clawing her way back from a set down, the Yugoslav showed now has the upper hand in their rivalry.
“I’ve played her a few times,” said Dokic. “It’s always tough to play her, especially on clay and it’s a Grand Slam. I think I could have won it easier but I’m happy I got through it.”
The French Open is Dokic’s first Grand Slam of the year after she opted to miss the Australian Open in January and though she is seeded seventh, higher than she ever has been before, she says she is not going let the pressure get to her.
Last year she fell in the third round but this year she’s determined to go further.
“I had a let down here last year,” she admitted. “The draw opened up, I looked too far ahead and I lost my focus and my concentration. I’m happy to just win another match or two and see what happens.”
After losing the baseline battle in the first set, Dokic displayed her steely determination and roared back to level Thursday’s match in the second set tiebreak.
She booked her place in the third round when Martinez failed to control a blistering service return.
The 19-year-old will meet Elena Likhovtseva of Russia for a place in the fourth round.
Kafelnikov beaten: Former French Open champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov made an early farewell when he lost in four sets to Argentine Mariano Zabaleta Wednesday.
The 1996 winner and fifth seed bowed out 7-6 2-6 6-4 7-6 for his fourth second-round exit in the Parisian grand slam tournament.
The Russian’s defeat reflected his dreadful season on clay this season.
Kafelnikov, who hinted he might retire should he win the Davis Cup for Russia at the end of the year, has only won one match in his five previous claycourt tournaments.
RESULTS:
Men (second round):
Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) beat 23-Fabrice Santoro (France) 7-5 6-1 1-6 6-4; Albert Portas (Spain) beat Cecil Mamiit (U.S.) 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4; 3-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 6-3 6-4 6-4; Guillermo Coria (Argentina) beat 24-Rainer Schuettler (Germany) 6-4 6-2 6-3; 29-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat Flavio Saretta (Brazil) 6-3 6-4 6-0; 4-Andre Agassi (U.S.) beat David Sanchez (Spain) 4-6 6-2 6-1 0-0 retired; Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat 6-Tim Henman (Britain) 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3; Fernando Vicente (Spain) beat Alberto Martin (Spain) 6-4 6-3 6-3; 14-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) beat Jens Knippschild (Germany) 6-1 6-2 7-5; Hicham Arazi (Morocco) beat Mariano Puerta (Argentina) 6-2 6-1 6-2
Women (second round):
7-Jelena Dokic (Yugoslavia) beat Conchita Martinez (Spain) 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2; Janette Husarova (Slovakia) beat 26-Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 6-2 1-6 6-2; 14-Iroda Tulyaganova (Uzbekistan) beat Christina Wheeler (Australia) 6-1 6-4; 20-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Tathiana Garbin (Italy) 6-3 6-2; Emilie Loit (France) beat Shinobu Asagoe (Japan) 2-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2; Mary Pierce (France) beat 32-Cristina Torrens Valero (Spain) 6-3 6-1; Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian (Switzerland) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3; 9-Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) beat Tina Pisnik (Slovenia) 7-6 (8-6) 6-4; Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) beat Martina Muller (Germany) 7-5 6-4; Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Marta Marrero (Spain) 6-2 6-1; Chanda Rubin (U.S.) beat 16-Barbara Schett (Austria) 5-7 6-3 7-5; 17-Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) beat Jana Kandarr (Germany) 6-4 1-6 6-3; Evie Dominikovic (Australia) beat Angelique Widjaja (Indonesia) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4; 1-Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) beat Amy Frazier (U.S.) 6-4 6-3; Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Conchita Martinez Granados (Spain) 6-1 6-0
WEDNESDAY EVENING RESULTS
Men (second round):
30-Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) beat Sebastien De Chaunac (France) 6-0 6-2 7-6 (7-3); 7-Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) beat Davide Sanguinetti (Italy) 6-7 (0-7) 6-2 4-6 6-4 6-3; 17-Carlos Moya (Spain) beat Mark Philippoussis (Australia) 6-2 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (11-9); 18-Alex Corretja (Spain) beat Todd Martin (U.S.) 6-2 6-3 7-5; Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) beat Amir Hadad (Israel) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5; Mariano Zabaleta (Argentina) beat 5-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
Women (second round):
4-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7); 27-Nathalie Dechy (France) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 4-6 6-1 6-4.—Reuters