PARIS -- This time, Venus Williams didn't make an early exit from the French Open.

	Venus Williams smiles after defeating Germany's Bianka Lamade 6-3, 6-3.

The second-seeded Williams overcame a shaky first serve Monday to beat Germany's Bianka Lamade 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round at Roland Garros.

Williams, ousted in the first round a year ago by Barbara Schett, managed to get in just 43 percent of her first serves, had six double faults and made 35 unforced errors on a cool, overcast first morning of the only Grand Slam tournament on clay.

Williams breezed through the first four games, yielding just five points but lost two straight service games before regrouping and taking the first set in 27 minutes.

Her serve bogged her down in the second set, but she was able to save seven break points. Trailing 3-2 and love-30, she came up with an ace and service winner in a four-point run and then took the final four games against Lamade, who'd won just two main draw matches all year.

``The first set I felt good and then for some reason I started to be tight. Maybe I was thinking about last year,'' Williams said. ``The rest of the match I was just trying to hold on.''

Williams, who withdrew from the Italian Open because of a ligament sprain in her right wrist, refused to use that an excuse.

``It was a little tough this morning because it was really cold. It was tough to warm up. But once I got going, it seemed to do OK,'' Williams said.

In other matches Monday, No. 10 Amelie Mauresmo beat Camille Pin 6-4, 6-1; Elena Dementieva, seeded No. 13, defeated Adriana Gersi 7-5, 6-3; No. 23 Anne Kremer downed Janet Lee 6-1, 7-6 (5); and No. 31 Rita Grande ousted Marianna Diaz-Oliva 6-4, 6-4.

Sixth-seeded Monica Seles, fresh off a victory in Madrid, was scheduled to face Angeles Montolio of Spain later Monday.

Defending champion Jennifer Capriati won't play until Tuesday, when she meets fellow American Marissa Irvin. Also on the schedule Tuesday are Serena Williams and Andre Agassi.

Capriati says she hasn't sneaked a peak at her dramatic victory from a year ago.

Her win over Kim Clijsters in last year's final was tennis at its edgy best, two friends slugging it out before Capriati captured an exhausting and exhilarating third-set tiebreaker, 12-10.

``I really haven't seen it again,'' Capriati says. ``I only remember playing it. So I'm sure they'll play it a couple times on TV or something, some highlights. But I think I have a few things to really look at to get me inspired for myself to play good tennis.''

Capriati, seeded first, wanted to find a good practice partner in preparing to defend her title. She had no problem finding one. Her name? Clijsters, who was to meet Tatiana Poutchek of Brazil on Monday.

``It doesn't matter if it was just last year in the finals, or if we're on the opposite sides this year,'' Capriati said of Clijsters, who is seeded fourth. ``She's good practice for me and I think vice versa. It's relaxing playing her.''

Their marathon last year featured the longest third set of any French Open women final, and four times Clijsters was within two points of victory.