Spanish world number two Rafael Nadal, bidding for a record seventh Roland Garros crown, sped into the second round at the French Open Tuesday with a straight sets win over Italian Simone Bolelli.

Nadal, out to surpass Swedish legend Bjorn Borg with whom he shares six titles in Paris, survived a momentary second set blip to sweep past his 111th-ranked rival 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 and take their series to 3-0 in the champion’s favour.

The 25-year-old Mallorcan, looking to join Borg and Rod Laver on 11 Grand Slam singles titles, won in 1hr 58min as he raced into a meeting with either Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan or Russian Igor Kunitsyn.

Nadal was imperiousness personified from the start on the Phillipe Chatrier showcourt as he broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set which he promptly polished off in 35 minutes.

The red-clad favourite raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set before his form suffered a minor aberration as he double faulted to drop serve and then had to save a trio of break points to stop Bolelli closing the gap to 4-3 before moving two sets clear after 1hr 24min on court.

Having found his range once more Nadal - only ever beaten once at the venue on seven previous visits, when creaking knees presaged a fourth-round loss to Sweden’s Robin Soderling in 2009 - waltzed 3-0 clear in the third.

Bolelli was unable to stem the tide as his rival broke for a 5-1 lead and Nadal inevitably held to take the match and lift his incredible record at the venue to 46-1 as he goes after his fourth clay title of the year.

Maria Sharapova was nearly perfect in the first round of the French Open, winning all 12 games to produce a “double bagel.”
The second-seeded Russian easily beat Alexandra Cadantu of Romania 6-0, 6-0 Tuesday, needing just 48 minutes to advance to the second round.
She finished the match with 18 winners, while Cadantu had zero, but had to save three break points.

Sharapova, who lost in this year’s Australian Open final, is looking to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the title at Roland Garros.
Earlier, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova defeated junior Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty 6-1, 6-2.

After losing the opening game, Kvitova won six straight in the first set against the 16-year-old Australian and again raced through the second set despite being broken once.

The left-handed Czech player won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last year, and then won the WTA Championships.
Although she has yet to win a title in 2012, she is seeded fourth at Roland Garros and is expected to make it deep into the tournament.

Barty is the youngest player in the draw at the French Open, one of only eight teenagers entered. The Australian received a wild-card invitation to compete in Paris.
The oldest player in the draw, 41-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan, lost to 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 6-1.