Sloppy Federer labours through first match

PARIS, May 28 (Reuters) Roger Federer made hard work of his opening match at the French Open today before claiming an error-strewn 7-5 7-6 6-2 victory over Argentine qualifier Diego Hartfield.

The world number one and top seed has not played since his Rome Masters final defeat by Rafael Nadal two weeks ago and trailed 3-0 in the first set before eventually subduing an opponent playing his first match at tour level.

Federer is seeking to complete his grand slam collection by winning the claycourt event but will need to improve greatly on Sunday's showing when he was often outplayed on centre court.

''I prefer easy games,'' said Federer. ''Today was a tough one.

I did not know him, I had no idea how he was playing. He was good from the baseline. I'm happy to have won in three sets.'' With the Swiss struggling for timing, Hartfield dominated the first set and served for it at 5-4 before Federer clawed his way back.

The 25-year-old Argentine owes his ranking of 156 to good performances on the lesser Challenger circuit and he forced a tiebreak in the second set but lost it 7-2 as Federer slowly found his range.

Hartfield began to struggle physically in the third set and Federer eventually wrapped up victory with some ease, sealing his second match point with a forehand winner after two hours 36 minutes.

The Roland Garros grand slam started on a Sunday for the first time with the aim of increasing television exposure, meaning the first round is being spread over three days instead of two.

Nadal was due to play Sweden's Robin Soderling in his first-round match tomorrow.

Another Spaniard, Tommy Robredo is a potential quarter-final opponent of Federer. today the seventh seed and Hamburg Masters winner eased past Czech player Tomas Zib 6-4 6-2 6-2 in his first-round match on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Russian 14th seed Dinara Safina, runner-up at the Italian Open in Rome earlier this month, beat compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-3 7-5 in the first match on centre court.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama recovered strongly from losing the first-set tiebreak against Greece's Eleni Daniilidou to win 6-7 6-0 6-3.

Later today French world number one Amelie Mauresmo faces American Meghann Shaughnessy. Russian fourth seed Maria Sharapova will try to demonstrate her fitness after a foot injury when she plays American Mashona Washington.

Men's third seed David Nalbandian of Argentina faces Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

REUTERS PG PM1952