PARIS — Defending champion Rafael Nadal began his campaign for a 10th French Open with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 breeze past France's world No. 296 Quentin Halys Tuesday. Nadal, seeded a humble six this year — his lowest for a decade — needed just one hour and 50 minutes to record his 67th career win at Roland Garros. The 28-year-old Spaniard, who is seeded to meet world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, came into the tournament without a European claycourt title for the first time since 2005 and with many in the sport writing him off as a spent force. But in a cheeky riposte to his critics, the 14-time major winner played with the number ‘9' stitched into the heels of his tennis shoes to remind people of his astonishing record at the tournament. Nadal was not troubled by Halys who was making his Grand Slam debut and playing just his second tour-level match. Halys, 19, did retrieve an early break in the sixth game of the first set before Nadal reasserted his dominance to take the opener 6-3. And that was about as good as it got for the Frenchman who ended the tie on Philippe Chatrier Court being broken five times and making 52 unforced errors. Nadal edged ahead again in the second set for a decisive 4-2 lead while another break for 3-2 in the third proved enough. Spaniard David Ferrer was first in action Tuesday, bustling through to the second round. Seventh seed Ferrer, runner-up to Nadal two years ago, needed little more than an hour to thrash Slovakian Lukas Lacko 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, about the same time US Open champion Marin Cilic required to hammer Dutchman Robin Haase 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, the women's champion in 2009, was made to work hard by powerful Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Francesca Schiavone, another former women's singles champion, was also in action later on an outside court as the first round stretched into a third day. Double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova fought past New Zealander Marina Erakovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. At 33, seventh seed Ferrer is running out of time to embellish his admirable career with a major title but if he never does, it will not be for the want of trying. The 2013 runner-up racked up his 37th career win at Roland Garros, second only among Spaniards, to the 66 Nadal has earned in a decade of unprecedented dominance at the claycourt slam. Ferrer lost his opening service game but was untroubled thereafter as he swept past the world No. 94. — Agencies
