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Soderling, Venus, Kuznetsova kick start French Open

PARIS - Roland Garros has never been the happiest of hunting grounds for Venus Williams but the world number two will get an early glimpse of the conditions in Paris when she headlines the opening day of the French Open on Sunday.

Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova kicks off the action on Philippe Chatrier Court while last year’s men’s surprise package Robin Soderling, now seeded fifth, also makes a first day bow.

In previous years a first-round clash with wily Patty Schnyder may have looked a potential bananaskin for Williams but the 31-year-old Swiss has struggled with injury this season and succumbed to the American for the loss of just four games in Rome earlier this month.

Venus, who has won all 10 previous encounters against Schnyder, made her Roland Garros debut in 1997, a year after the Swiss, and made her only final appearance in 2002 when she lost to sister Serena.

Soderling sent a seismic wave through Paris 12 months ago when he inflicted Rafa Nadal’s first ever defeat on the red clay of Roland Garros in the fourth round.

He went on to reach the final and had his first grand slam win in his sights before Roger Federer had other ideas and won his own maiden French Open title.

Soderling takes on French wildcard Laurent Recouderc, who has never passed the second round here.

One French contender with slightly more aspirations of progress is eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who closes out the action on the main showcourt against German Daniel Brands.