Juan Carlos Ferrero in action against Jan Hernych at Roland Garros on Thursday. The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. (AFP) Related reports, results: Page 12

Paris: 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 compatriot Evgenia Linetskaya, the Russian second seed upped her game to beat fellow 18-year-old Rezai 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court.

Rezai, ranked 242 places behind the world No. 2, 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.

“She had nothing to lose, and she was just going for her shots,” Sharapova said. “Some balls were just too good. “But I finally started feeling a good rhythm out there and began playing better.”

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

Rezai was a little less gracious in defeat, however. When asked if she had found the Wimbledon champion impressive she said: “Well, not especially. There’s a lot of media around her, but she’s a player among other players.”

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 No. 1 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.

“I’ve had an injury in my back for a few weeks, so it’s something I’m having to deal with,” said the Belgian who will next face Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues. “It is a slight sprain...because it’s close to a nerve, it’s painful. Probably not now, but I will (eventually) have to take a little rest.”

In the men’s draw 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.

“I wasn’t at ease,” a relieved Coria said. “If you have a long, tough match, you start to get nervous. It’s very hot. Today I went on court feeling it could be a very long match...obviously, it’s better not to spend too long on the court.”

Former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero also advanced. The Spaniard beat Czech Jan Hernych 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 and will face Russian third seed Marat Safin in the third round if Safin overcomes Czech Lukas Dlouhy.

Paes-Zimonjic up

Fourth seed Mahesh Bhupathi and Todd Woodbridge of Australia lost to the unseeded pair of Kevin Kim of US and Hyung-taik Lee of South Korea in the first round of the men’s doubles event on Thursday. The Indo-Australian pair went down 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 5-7.

On Wednesday, Leander Paes and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia advanced to the second round. The sixth seeds defeated Florian Mayer of Germany and Rogier Wassen of The Netherlands in 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in their opening round match.