Top seed Maria Sharapova was given an almighty scare before edging past rookie Evgeniya Rodina and into the second round of the French Open.

Never before has the women's number one seed exited in the first round at Roland Garros, but Rodina threatened to inflict that ignominy on her Russian compatriot before succumbing to a 6-1 4-6 8-6 defeat.

The top-seeded struggled with her serve in the wind at the French Open, making 17 double-faults and landing just 64 per cent of her first serves in the match.

The world number one will now play American Bethanie Mattek for a place in the third round.