Rusty Sharapova advances under menacing skies

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) World number two Maria Sharapova made a tentative start to her French Open campaign, beating France's Emilie Loit 6-3 7-6 on a grey morning today.

The Russian, who has never gone beyond the quarter-finals on four previous visits to the French capital, looked rusty under menacing clouds.

But the 20-year-old Sharapova, who held the number one spot earlier this year before suffering injury worries, did enough to set up a second-round match with American Jill Craybas.

Sharapova, seeded second, had broken Loit to open up a 2-1 lead when the Frenchwoman had her left thigh and lower back massaged and left Centre Court to receive further treatment.

She returned afer a few minutes and the pair traded breaks before Sharapova captured Loit's serve again to wrap up the set.

World number 41 Loit, 27, put up a brave challenge in the second, breaking serve in the fifth game to move 3-2 up.

The Russian responded by breaking back only to drop serve again in the 11th game, enabling Loit to serve for the set.

Loit, however, was broken and Sharapova took the tiebreak 7-4 with a forehand winner on her first match point.

Reuters TB RS1726