Then there were two as Scot Elena Baltacha joins Heather Watson

A day after teenager Watson became the first British woman in 17 years to win a first-round match, Baltacha matched her to make it two British women through to the second round for the first time since 1992.

With Andy Murray also booking his passage with a straight-sets victory over Eric Prodon, three British players will contest the second round for the first time in 27 years.

Baltacha has shown encouraging form on clay this season and maintained that at Roland Garros against American qualifier Stephens, who is tipped for a big future in the game.

Baltacha needed all her battling qualities in the first set after her 18-year-old opponent broke to lead 4-2. The American produced some fierce hitting from the baseline but Baltacha kept her cool, breaking back straight away and then doing so again when Stephens served for the set. The 27-year-old was mixing up her play well and made it four games in a row to take the opening set.

Stephens started to look frustrated and, after letting three break points slip through her fingers, Baltacha took her fourth opportunity to establish a 2-1 lead in the second set. From there the Scot tightened her grip on the match, breaking for a fourth time in the seventh game before clinching a notable victory on her second match point.

Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters won her first match at the French Open in five years, easily defeating Anastasiya Yakimova 6-2, 6-3.

Seventh seed Maria Sharapova also swept into the second round for the loss of only three games against Mirjana Lucic. The Russian, who will complete a set of grand slams if she lifts the title, won the last nine games to cruise through 6-3, 6-0 in 56 minutes.

Sixth seed and Australian Open finalist Li Na was given a real battle by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova before coming through 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, but 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic was dumped out by Sweden's Johanna Larsson, 7-6 (7-3), 0-6, 6-2.