TENNIS: Nick Kyrgios hailed Australia's "unbelievable" start to the French Open after leading six through to the second round at Roland Garros.

Kyrgios and fellow seeded flagbearers Samantha Stosur and Bernard Tomic, along with teenage ace Thanasi Kokkinakis and exciting young imports Daria Gavrilova and Ajla Tomljanovic all advanced in Australia's best start to the claycourt major in five years.

"It's unbelievable," Kyrgios said after outclassing Denis Istomin 6-3 6-4 6-3 in his first outing as a grand slam seed.

"I am really, really happy with Thanasi getting through. Bernard surprised me a little bit today. He fought really well and Dasha (Gavrilova) has been playing some really good tennis, and Sam as well.

"All in all, it was a pretty good day for the Aussies."

Riding high after claiming her first title of the year in Strasbourg at the weekend, Stosur swept past American Madison Brengle 6-1 6-3 in 77 minutes.

"It was a good start. I guess I was in control of the match and it was on my racquet," Stosur said.

"I just had to keep concentrating, keep doing the things that were working and I thought I did pretty well."

Stosur's victory thrust the 26th seed and former finalist into a meeting on Wednesday with French wildcard Amandine Hesse, who earlier eliminated Jarmila Gajdosova in three sets.

Still struggling with a virus that forced his withdrawal from last week's Nice Open, Tomic dug in for an impressive 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over Italian qualifier Luca Vanni.

"It was not easy. He beat me before, so I was very happy to win," Tomic said.

"I wasn't feeling that good. Still sick. I'm getting better, but still a little bit down. So it was tough out there.

"Everything felt much, much longer than it was. I was really feeling the fatigue out there. Happy I won in the end."

Tomic's first victory at Roland Garros since 2012 and Kokkinakis' 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 success over Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili set up a second-round showstopper between the Davis Cup teammates.

The reward for Wednesday's victor is a likely third-round shot at world No.1 Novak Djokovic.

"Yeah, I'd love to get a crack at Novak, but Bernie is a tough task," Kokkinakis said after claiming his first-ever win at Roland Garros.

"I've got to go out and try and play the ball. I know his game and he knows mine.

"I think we know what each other is going to try to do."

A quarter-finalist at Wimbledon and the Australian Open in the past 10 months, Kyrgios next faces British qualifier Kyle Edmund and has a golden opportunity to book a third-round blockbuster with Andy Murray.

"I've tried not to think about it, but it is hard not to," Kyrgios said.

"On social media, I see it every day - Kyrgios v Murray, third round - and I hadn't even won a round yet.

"So I have probably thought about it."

Tomljanovic crushed compatriot Casey Dellacqua 6-2 6-2 in 62 minutes to set up a second-round clash German 11th seed Angelique Kerber, while Gavrilova added to Australia's triumphant day with 6-1 7-6 (7-3) victory over Swede Johanna Larsson.

The Russian-born 21-year-old's maiden grand slam win earned her a crack at 20th-seeded German Sabine Lisicki.

Like Dellacqua, Jarmila Gajdosova, Sam Groth and Marinko Matosevic all crashed out on day two, but James Duckworth will be looking to continue Australia's flying start when he plays Italian qualifier Andrea Arnaboldi on Tuesday.

HOW THE AUSSIES FARED AT THE FRENCH OPEN ON MONDAY (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING)

Men's singles, first round

27-Bernard Tomic bt Luca Vanni (ITA) 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4

29-Nick Kyrgios bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-3 6-4 6-3

Thanasi Kokkinakis bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-2

Marinko Matosevic lost to Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 6-1 6-2 6-4

Sam Groth lost to 21-Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 6-3

Women's singles, first round

26-Samantha Stosur bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-1 6-3

Daria Gavrilova bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-1 7-6 (7-3)

Ajla Tomljanovic bt Casey Dellacqua 6-2 6-2

Jarmila Gajdosova lost to Amandine Hesse (FRA) 2-6 6-3 6-2

AUSSIES IN ACTION ON TUESDAY

James Duckworth v Andrea Arnaboldi (ITA)

Round 1 preview

Nick Kyrgios launches his French Open campaign on Monday confident he has the weapons to wreak more Grand Slam havoc at Roland Garros.

Kyrgios is among 10 Australians in action on a bumper Day 2 of action, with fellow seeds Bernard Tomic and former finalist Sam Stosur also getting their championships underway.

A quarterfinalist at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, Kyrgios believes he has the claycourt tools to match his run on the grass of Wimbledon and hard courts of Melbourne Park.

Victory over Roger Federer in Madrid this month has only added to the 20-year-old’s optimism.

“The slower sort of surface is good,” Kyrgios said ahead of a first-round meeting with Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin in the third match of the day scheduled for Court 3.

“It gives me time to set up on my forehand, my backhand is probably my favourite stroke where I can construct points with and I believe that I can serve at a high level on any surface.

“So it’s good. I’m (also) trusting my movement a lot more; I’m moving well and obviously playing Federer a couple of weeks ago and having success there was massive.

“I’ve drawn a lot of confidence from that on clay.”

Kyrgios arrived at Roland Garros three days after withdrawing from the Nice Open with elbow soreness.

But the moment he walked into the gates fond memories of his breakthrough first Grand Slam win against Radek Stepanek came flooding back.

“Every time I come here, I think of that match. It sort of kick-started my career,” said the tournament’s 30th seed.

“That’s something I won’t ever forget, playing Stepanek and winning 7-6 7-6 7-6 was a good memory.”

But the 20-year-old refuses to live in the past and is refusing to take Istomin lightly despite thumping him in Davis Cup last year.

“I’m confident but I know he can do damage anywhere he plays,” Kyrgios said.

“He’s got a big game and he plays aggressive and I played him on grass, which is completely different to clay.

“I know what I’ve got to do, but he’ll also have his tactics. I’m just going to go out there, have fun and give my best.”

Australia lost its first player on Sunday when Olivia Rogowska was unable to parlay her impressive qualifying form into a first-round win against Magdalena Rybarikova, the 23-year-old going down 0-6 7-5 6-2 to the higher-ranked Slovakian.

But with 11 remaining, Australia still has its strongest singles contingent in Paris in 16 years.

Stosur, on a high after winning the Internationaux de Strasbourg lead-up event on Saturday, has a danger match first up against rising American Madison Brengle, who narrowly missed a seeding.

Casey Dellacqua plays Ajla Tomljanovic in an all-Australian affair, Daria Gavrilova plays Swede Johanna Larsson and Jarmila Gajdosova meets French wildcard Amandine Hesse.

Tomic, seeded 27th but coming into the tournament under the weather and with modest expectations, plays Luca Vanni, an Italian qualifier who edged him in a third-set tiebreaker in Madrid.

Sam Groth plays Uruguay’s 21st seed Pablo Cuevas, teenage star Thanasi Kokkinakis is up against Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili on debut and Marinko Matosevic takes on Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.

AUSSIES IN ACTION ON DAY 2

Women’s singles – first round

[26] Sam Stosur v Madison Brengle (USA)
Casey Dellacqua v Ajla Tomljanovic
Daria Gavrilova v Johanna Larsson (SWE)
Jarmila Gajdosova v Amandine Hesse (FRA)

Men’s singles, first round

[27] Bernard Tomic v Luca Vanni (ITA)
[30] Nick Kyrgios v Denis Istomin (UZB)
Sam Groth v [21] Pablo Cuevas (URU)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO)
Marinko Matosevic v Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)

AAP