Safarova eases through before rain suspension at Roland Garros

Opening day of the 2016 French Open was cut short as rain halted the play twice on Sunday, when only 10 out of 32 scheduled matches were completed, including a quick win by women's singles No. 11 seed Lucie Safarova.

The Czech player, last year's runner-up to Serena Williams, eased through to the second round with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Russian Vitalia Diatchenko, just in time to avoid the second rain suspension.

Kei Nishikori was not as lucky, however, as the fifth-seeded Japanese was leading 6-1, 5-4 over Italian Simone Bolelli ahead of a mid-match rain delay of nearly three hours.

He resumed under still overcast skies but only wrapped up the second set 7-5 and took a 2-1 lead in the third set before heavy showers came back.

Sixteen matches were canceled and six were suspended as organizers announced that play wouldn't resume before Monday morning since the clay courts turned too slippery.

If the weather gets better, Swiss Stan Wawrinka will start his title defending campaign at Roland Garros on Monday, while the second seed Andy Murray of Britain is also on the men's singles day two schedule, with all three Chinese women players set to show up. Endit