Top-ranked Maria Sharapova struggled with her serve in the wind at the French Open and barely managed to defeat 103rd-ranked Evgeniya Rodina 6-1, 3-6, 8-6 Wednesday in the first round.

Sharapova had 17 double-faults and landed only 64 percent of her first serves in the match on center court, where she is trying to complete a career Grand Slam at the clay-court major.

"I was very close to losing this match," Sharapova said. "Not many things were working for me today after the first set."

Torrential rain washed away top seed Maria Sharapova's eagerly-awaited 2008 French Open bow on Tuesday as Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova sailed into the second round.

Start of play on the third day of the tournament was delayed by almost three hours as Roland Garros was swamped by a deluge which resulted in 20 of the day's scheduled 72 ties being put back to Wednesday.

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Maria Sharapova hopes to battle through a wearying summer and still be in peak condition when she makes her Olympics debut in Beijing.

The world number one faces a gruelling run-up to the Games with the French Open, which starts on Sunday, followed by Wimbledon as well as American hardcourt events in July.

The Games tennis event starts on August 10 with the US Open scheduled to begin on August 25 in New York, the week after the Olympics close.

The draw for the 2nd Grand Slam of the year at Roland Garros has been released and Maria is the top seed and will play Evgeniya Rodina of Russia in the 1st round.  Maria has never played Rodina before.  If Maria gets through that match she will play either Madison Brengle of the United States or a qualifier in the 2nd round.

Roland Garros is the only Grand Slam played on clay and Maria's best result was reaching the semis here last year and this is Maria's 3rd Grand Slam as top seed (US Open 2005 and Australian Open 2007).