The third-seeded Briton, who's having the best clay-court season of his career with titles from Munich and Madrid, extended his winning streak on clay to 11 matches.

"I was nervous today," Murray said. "Always the first round of the major competitions are tough and it was quite windy and difficult conditions at the start. I was a little bit nervous at the start but I like that, it shows that you care and want to do well."

He will be joined in the second round by Czech Tomas Berdych, who ousted Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka with a 6-0, 7-5, 6-3 victory.

"Everything has been aimed for this tournament," said the No. 4 seed. "I'm feeling well. I'm feeling physically, mentally strong, and that's the best possible start that I can have."

The runner-up at Wimbledon in 2010, who had lost in the round of 128 in four his last eight appearances in Paris, thus improved his all-time record at the French Open to 18-11.

Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, seeded 11th, has been the highest seed to lose so far, falling 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-3 in the men's singles first round to 74th-ranked Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia.

Meanwhile, the 14th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska was beaten 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 by Germany's Annika Beck, and the No. 15 seed Venus Williams has lost in the first round of Roland Garros for the second time in three years, surrendering 7-6 (5), 6-1 to Sloane Stephens.

At 34, Venus was the oldest player in the women's singles main draw, while the 40th-ranked Stephens is a 22-year-old American.