Intro:

Maria Sharapova, 27, (RUS) and Petra Kvitová, 24, (CZE) progressed to the second round of Roland Garros on Monday.

Script:

Maria Sharapova eased into the second round of the French Open after beating fellow Russian Ksenia Pervak on Monday.

Rain in the French capital held up play for an hour, and that was almost exactly the time it took Sharapova to dispatch Pervak on a damp Court Philippe Chatrier.

The 2012 Roland Garros champion won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2 and faces Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in the next stage.

After edging a tight first set, Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic overcame Zarina Diyas 7-5, 6-2.

The 2012 Roland Garros semi-finalist now takes on New Zealand's Marina Erakovic for a place in the third round.